HHS Human Research Protection Official Koski To Leave Post

Greg Koski, director of HHS' Office for Human Research Protections, said he plans to resign Nov. 30 after two years on the job, the Washington Post reports. Koski's attempt to boost federal oversight of medical research has "received mixed reviews" recently, according to the Post, with some critics claiming he has good ideas but has failed to implement them. In addition, the Post reports, Koski has faced challenges in attempting to balance the desires of two factions -- one seeks formalized federal rules regulating patient safety and conflicts of interest, while another supports voluntary standards enforced by research institutions themselves. Koski said that the "single most important change that's occurred [in the office] is this shift from a process that was really reactive, in which we waited for something bad to happen and then responded to it -- a regulatory enforcement approach -- to a proactive approach ... reaching out to do what government should do, which is to provide support to the people we serve, to help them meet this very important responsibility" of protecting patients. HHS spokesperson Bill Hall said Koski's replacement has not been selected (Weiss, Washington Post, 10/17).