Obama chooses cardiologist as next FDA commissioner

Califf has been serving as the Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco at the FDA since his direct appointment to the position by former Commissioner Margaret Hamburg in January.

When Califf was appointed deputy commissioner, it was widely assumed he would be the nominee to permanently replace Hamburg.

Califf’s entrance as FDA commission would come as the Senate is working on its version of legilslation (already passed by the House) that would expedite the processes FDA uses to approve most drugs. Stephen Ostroff, previously the FDA’s chief scientist, has served as acting commissioner in recent months.

President Obama announced he has chosen a new Food and Drug Administration commissioner with deep industry ties. “He’s thoughtful and personable, and I’m sure will be a strong advocate on behalf of the FDA during a very critical period”.

As head of the FDA, Califf would inherit a raft of projects and potential challenges, including unfinished tobacco regulations, food safety and labeling reforms and proposals from Republican lawmakers focused on streamlining drug reviews.

“The greatest progress nearly certainly will be made by breaking out of insular knowledge bases and collaborating across the different sectors”, he told Time, adding that there is “a tension which cannot be avoided between regulating an industry and creating the conditions where the industry can thrive, and the FDA’s got to do both”.

A disclosure form filed with Duke University previous year shows Califf received research grants or consulting fees from a dozen drugmakers, including Merck & Co., Roche and Eli Lilly & Co. Califf-who has taken a leave of absence from the University due to his FDA duties-is a renowned cardiologist and the founding director of the world’s largest academic research organization, the Duke Clinical Research Institute.