FDA Commissioner von Eschenbach To Resign Jan. 20
FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach on Monday in an internal memo informed agency employees that he plans to resign effective Jan. 20, 2009, the Wall Street Journal reports. In the memo, von Eschenbach wrote that he plans to work with the transition team of President-elect Barack Obama "to ensure a seamless change in political leadership at the agency." He added, "As with any transition, there will likely be changes for other senior managers as well, although all current deputy commissioners and the chief of staff are career civil servants who have served me and FDA well."Some congressional Democrats have recommended that Obama nominate Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at FDA, as interim agency commissioner until he selects a permanent commissioner, but others, such as Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), have said that current agency officials should not retain their positions or receive promotions (Mundy, Wall Street Journal, 12/15).
According to the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Health Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein "is regarded by many as a leading candidate to head" FDA. Sharfstein, a former congressional staffer, is leading a team assembled by Obama to assess FDA. Other possible candidates for FDA commissioner include Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steven Nissen, Robert Califf of Duke University, and food and drug attorney Frank Sasinowski.
William Hubbard, a former FDA associate commissioner, said that new presidents in most cases do not nominate agency commissions until spring, after HHS fills the deputy commissioner and general counsel positions. "It is possible the appointment could happen more quickly this time, since the FDA and its troubles have been in the news over the past year," according to the Sun (Desmon/Hay Brown, Baltimore Sun, 12/16). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
