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US FDA Commissioner Race Shrinks And Widens: Biden Team Trying To Woo Reluctant Dems On Woodcock While Exploring New Options

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

White House is trying to overcome some Senate Democrats’ opposition to Janet Woodcock as FDA Commissioner, while also looking for other candidates for the job. Josh Sharfstein, long thought to be Woodcock’s main competition, is not a strong contender.

Former US Food and Drug Administration Principal Deputy Commissioner Josh Sharfstein is no longer in strong contention to be President Joe Biden’s FDA Commissioner, but surprisingly that doesn’t mean Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock is a shoo-in for the job, three former FDA officials told the Pink Sheet.

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More from US FDA

Political Official Pushing Novavax To Conduct COVID-19 Vaccine Postmarket RCT

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

In an unusual move, Tracy Beth Høeg, a special assistant to FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, is leading the continued negotiations on Novavax’s delayed COVID-19 vaccine approval.

Pink Sheet Podcast: More US FDA Departures, Makary On Combined AE Database, ‘Conditional’ Approval

 
• By Derrick Gingery, Sarah Karlin-Smith, and Sue Sutter

Pink Sheet reporter and editors discuss the most recent senior staff departures at the FDA and their impact on the agency, as well as Commissioner Martin Makary’s plans for a new approval pathway and a combined adverse event database as outlined in an interview with a podcast host.

Political Influence And The US FDA: A New Era?

 
• By Michael McCaughan

FDA Commissioner Martin Makary declared during an interview with former Fox News host Megyn Kelly that there “should be nothing political” about the US FDA, but it feels like politics is infecting the agency in unprecedented ways about three weeks into his tenure.

US FDA Retirements Continue Unabated With Drug Inspectorate Leaders, Former Chief Counsel

 
• By Sue Sutter and Derrick Gingery

Alonza Cruse, director of the Office of Human and Animal Drugs Inspectorate, and two other senior inspection officials are departing, along with Mark Raza, chief counsel from 2021 until January.

More from Agency Leadership

Companies Advised To Assess Potential Impacts Of Landmark Global Pandemic Treaty

 
• By Neena Brizmohun

Mechanisms in the draft treaty that the more than 190 member states of the World Health Organization have finally agreed to are expected to “materially affect companies,” particularly those that develop, manufacture or distribute pandemic-related health care products.

FDA Leadership Shuffle Continues: Lowell Zeta Returns As OPDP, OGD Leaders Depart

 
• By Sue Sutter and Derrick Gingery

Lowell Zeta, a senior counselor at the FDA from 2020 to 2021, returns as deputy commissioner for strategic initiatives. The agency also names a new acting CIO and acting CVM director, but OGD's Ted Sherwood and OPDP's Catherine Gray retired.

US FDA’s Makary Floats Vague ‘Plausible Mechanism’ Approval Pathway For Rare Diseases

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

Ascertaining the novelty and benefits of Makary’s new drug approval idea – along with what it would take to implement it – requires more clarity on the types of studies he envisions being used to grant and confirm “plausible mechanism’ approvals.