Sharpless Appointed Acting Commissioner of FDA

In response to media inquiries, the Alliance for a Stronger FDA issued the following statement earlier today:The Alliance for a Stronger FDA thanks Dr. Gottlieb for his strong leadership at FDA and welcomes Dr. Norman Sharpless, Director of the National Cancer Institute, as the “acting” commissioner. He will serve until a Commissioner is nominated and confirmed.

Dr. Sharpless brings a varied background in academia and government and is also an inventor and innovator with industry experience. All of this makes him an exceptional choice for acting FDA Commissioner and we look forward to working with him to continue to build and strengthen the agency.

said Ladd Wiley, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA.

We also applaud Secretary Azar for moving so promptly and bringing such an excellent and talented individual to the task of running FDA.

The Alliance for a Stronger FDA is a multi-stakeholder advocacy group that unites more than 150 patient and consumer groups, biomedical research advocates, health professions societies, individuals and industry to work to increase FDA’s budget authority appropriations. More information about the Alliance can be found at www.StrengthenFDA.org or by contacting Steven Grossman.