Biden Considering Robert Califf to Lead F.D.A. Again

Politics|Biden Considering Robert Califf, a Former F.D.A. Commissioner, to Lead Agency Again

WASHINGTON — The White House is considering nominating Dr. Robert M. Califf, a erstwhile Food and Drug Administration commissioner, to erstwhile again pb the agency, according to 5 radical acquainted with the hunt for a candidate.

The F.D.A. has been without a imperishable main since President Biden took office, starring to predominant disapproval from nationalist wellness experts who person said the bureau has lacked wide absorption during an aggravated signifier of the pandemic, portion it has faced a crush of reviews of coronavirus vaccines, tests and treatments.

The radical acquainted with the hunt process said that nary last determination had been made. The acting F.D.A. commissioner, Dr. Janet Woodcock, a longtime cause regulator, is nearing the extremity of the word that acting officials are allowed to serve.

Dr. Califf declined to comment. News of his imaginable information was archetypal reported by The Washington Post.

Dr. Califf, a cardiologist who teaches astatine the Duke University School of Medicine, served lone concisely arsenic F.D.A. commissioner, astatine the extremity of President Barack Obama’s 2nd term. He was the agency’s lawman commissioner for aesculapian products and baccy earlier starring it from February 2016 to January 2017.

He was confirmed by the Senate arsenic commissioner successful February 2016 successful a ballot of 89 to 4, aft immoderate lawmakers opposed his information implicit what they said was the agency’s mediocre grounds connected medicine painkillers. His information faced its fiercest pushback from Democrats.

Katie Rogers, Sharon LaFraniere and Katie Thomas contributed reporting.