Senate narrowly confirms Califf to lead FDA again
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The Senate has confirmed cardiologist Robert Califf, MD, MACC, to lead the FDA for a second time.
Califf was nominated by President Joe Biden in November to return to the top post at the agency, which he held during the final year of the presidency of Barack Obama, stepping down prior to the swearing in of Donald J. Trump as president.
The vote to confirm was 50-46, mostly along party lines, with six Republicans voting in favor of confirmation and five Democrats or independents voting against, according to a tweet from the Senate press gallery. By contrast, Califf was confirmed by a margin of 89-4 in 2016.
In a press release from the American Heart Association, AHA CEO Nancy Brown praised the confirmation.
“Throughout his career, Dr. Califf has been a relentless force in the fight against heart disease and stroke. As FDA commissioner, Dr. Califf will put this experience to work leading the agency’s critical efforts to protect and improve the public’s health. The American Heart Association congratulates Dr. Califf on his confirmation and thanks the Senate for its bipartisan support of an outstanding leader,” Brown said in the release. “With a distinguished career in public service and a long-time volunteer leader at the American Heart Association, Dr. Califf has honed his ability to communicate and build trust with diverse constituencies. He will use his experience as a cardiologist to safeguard the health and well-being of people throughout the country, and his background in research to prioritize science and evidence-based policymaking. His previous leadership of the FDA will enable him to hit the ground running and ensure the agency can meet the current public health threats. The FDA faces a formidable set of challenges that require urgent action, and we look forward to working with Dr. Califf to ensure the FDA prioritizes the health and well-being of the nation.”
Califf spent most of his career at Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the latter of which he founded. After his previous stint at the FDA, Califf became senior adviser to Google Health and Verily, but retained an academic position at Duke.
Califf replaces Janet Woodcock, MD, who has been acting FDA commissioner since the beginning of the Biden administration.
During the confirmation process, supporters praised Califf for his experience and expertise and stressed the need for steady leadership at the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, while opponents criticized his ties to the pharmaceutical industry and his leadership of FDA during the opioid crisis.
Perspective
Back to Top
L. Samuel Wann, MD, MACC, FESC
Dr. Califf, a prominent Duke University cardiologist and acclaimed clinical trialist who previously served as FDA commissioner from 2016 to 2017, was confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote 50-46 as the latest FDA commissioner on February 17, 2022, permanently filling a position that has been vacant for the past year.
Dr. Califf has spent the last 4 decades serving in various capacities at Duke University, founding the highly regarded Duke Clinical Research Institute and leading multi-institutional efforts to define and implement evidence-based medicine. He can be expected to continue his focus on data-driven, patient-oriented health care as commissioner.
The FDA is one of the cornerstones of American health care, charged with critical responsibilities to protect the public by ensuring the safety, efficacy and security of our drugs, biological products, and medical devices and the safety of our food supply, cosmetics and products that emit radiation. As would be expected, many of the issues facing the new FDA commissioner are controversial, including relations with the pharmaceutical industry, drug pricing, regulation of addictive drugs, abortion, tobacco products, new devices and procedures, and the revolution in machine learning and telemedicine, all developing rapidly in the midst of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Califf has successfully dealt with many of these difficult issues throughout his career.
Dr. Califf has participated in a multitude of professional activities throughout his career, including service as editor of the American Heart Journal and as a Trustee of the American College of Cardiology. He has a well-earned international reputation for integrity and innovative thinking in dealing with industry and the scientific community, consistently keeping excellence in patient care as the primary focus of his work. He has demonstrated remarkable organizational skills leading clinical investigations through his years at Duke and during his previous service as FDA commissioner. His nomination received enthusiastic support from the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association. The entire cardiology community looks forward to Dr. Califf's leadership role in this very important institution at a critical time in our history.
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts