Hamburg Joins Sharfstein On FDA Commissioner Shortlist
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
The removal of Duke University cardiologist Robert Califf's name from consideration for FDA commissioner indicates that a record of government service and a strong public health background will trump all other qualifications for the post
|
The removal of Duke University cardiologist Robert Califf's name from consideration for FDA commissioner indicates that a record of government service and a strong public health background will trump all other qualifications for the post. Califf and Baltimore Health Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein had appeared to be the last names on the final shortlist of FDA candidates vetted at the Health and Human Services secretary level (1 (Also see "Obama Wants FDA’s “Full Review” As Recall Of Peanut Butter Items Goes On" - HBW Insight, 9 Feb, 2009.), p. 7). While Califf's removal would likely make Sharfstein the favorite for the job, former New York City Health Commissioner Margaret Hamburg has emerged on the shortlist, according to news reports. Hamburg has a deep and varied background as a researcher and public official, including working with the Obama HHS transition team and previously serving in the Clinton administration as assistant secretary for planning and evaluation. The former public health official also has conducted wide-ranging research on bioterrorism issues. Hamburg could offer a more appealing alternative for some FDA stakeholder groups, who have voiced opposition to Sharfstein's possible appointment. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman is vigorously supporting Sharfstein, a former staffer for the California Democrat. Hamburg's FDA possibility coincides with the emergence of Donna Shalala as a serious candidate for HHS secretary and head of the White House Office of Health Reform. Hamburg worked for Shalala during her eight-year tenure as HHS chief under President Clinton. Califf, a renowned academic researcher, acknowledged he is no longer in the running for the FDA post. The cardiologist's ties to the drug industry - Duke runs some of the most high-profile clinical trials for the biopharmaceutical industry - likely lessened his chances of being named commissioner in an administration with an increasingly thin tolerance for any links to activities that could act as disqualifiers in the confirmation process. - Ramsey Baghdadi ([email protected]) |