After months of public anticipation, President Joe Biden on Friday nominated Dr. Robert Califf to steer the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration.
Califf is a outstanding heart specialist who warned of a “tsunami” of continual illness within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden hailed him “probably the most skilled medical trialists within the nation.”
“I’m assured Dr. Califf will be sure that the FDA continues its science and knowledge drive decision-making. Dr. Califf had sturdy bipartisan assist within the Senate in 2016, and I urge the Senate to swiftly verify Dr. Califf so he can proceed the necessary work being executed at this crucial second,” Biden mentioned in a press release asserting the choose.
If he’s confirmed by the Senate, it could be Califf’s second tour as FDA chief after having served in the course of the Obama administration.
Dr. Robert Califf awaits the beginning of a listening to earlier than the Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee Nov. 17, 2015, in Washington, DC.
Win Mcnamee/Getty Pictures, FILE
He beforehand led the company in former President Barack Obama’s final yr in workplace, after being confirmed in an 89-4 vote within the Senate. Earlier than that, he served as deputy commissioner of the FDA’s Workplace of Medical Merchandise and Tobacco.
Califf’s nomination was first reported by Politico.
The FDA has been with out a Senate-confirmed administrator since Biden took workplace. As an alternative, Dr. Janet Woodcock served because the company’s performing administrator.
Whereas Woodcock is a longtime FDA senior official, she was broadly thought-about an unacceptable candidate due to her regulatory oversight position in the course of the opioid disaster.
Califf additionally is understood for founding the Duke College Scientific Analysis Institute, a worldwide tutorial medical analysis group. Lately, he has been working for Google’s mum or dad firm, Alphabet, on well being coverage. He is additionally a professor of drugs on the Duke College Faculty of Medication, the place he beforehand served as Vice Chancellor, and works as head of medical coverage at Verily Life Sciences, a analysis group.
An indication for the Meals And Drug Administration is seen outdoors of the headquarters, July 20, 2020, in White Oak, Md.
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Pictures, FILE
Earlier this yr, Califf warned of an upcoming inflow of continual illness, particularly coronary heart illness, in an opinion article printed within the medical journal Circulation.
“As soon as the acute part of this disaster is previous, we’ll face an infinite wave of demise and incapacity attributable to widespread continual ailments (CCDs), with cardiometabolic ailments on the crest,” he wrote.
He mentioned common well being care protection and low-cost generic medicines might “considerably scale back demise and incapacity.”
ABC Information’ Justin Gomez contributed to this report.
