PhARMA urges quick appointment of new FDA commissioner

WASHINGTON On the day after the elections, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America called on president-elect Barack Obama to quickly fill the post of Food and Drug Administration commissioner—a role that has experienced quite a bit of turnover in the past eight years. Reports published Friday speculated that Janet Woodcock, presently director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, is the top choice of drug makers, citing people associated with the industry.

Presidents traditionally name a secretary of Health and Human Services before appointing an FDA commissioner. Former Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Democrat Kansas Gov, Kathleen Sebelius are contenders for health secretary, reports stated, citing people in contact with Obama's healthcare advisers.

“Due to the vital nature of the FDA’s public health oversight, identifying a strong, independent FDA commissioner should be among the first accomplishments of the new administration,” stated Billy Tauzin, PhRMA president and chief executive officer and a former prominent Democrat-turned-Republican Louisiana politician. “The ideal candidate should embrace the need to advocate for an empowered FDA that is adequately resourced to carry out its crucial mission. The individual also must have strong managerial skills that are essential for directing science-based activities at an agency that has just expanded its ranks with thousands of new employees. These skills are particularly important to an agency that is striving to implement groundbreaking reforms to better position itself to tackle future challenges, including modernizing FDA methods for evaluating safety and efficacy throughout a product’s life cycle."

Among other FDA commissioner candidates being pitched to the president are Baltimore City health commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, the principal person behind a citizen’s petition filed to the FDA requesting that children’s cough-cold medicines indicated for children under the age 6  be removed from the market. Sharfstein previously worked for Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

Obama campaigned for president promising to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, and he spoke at times about the need to improve food and drug safety.