Friends of Cancer Research Applauds This Appointment

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex M. Azar III has appointed Dr. Norman E. Sharpless to be the acting Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He will be replacing the current FDA Commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who announced his resignation on March 5.

“We would like to thank Dr. Gottlieb for his invaluable service as FDA Commissioner, and look forward to continuing to work with him as he embarks on his next endeavor,” said Friends of Cancer Research Founder & Chair, Ellen Sigal. “As we look ahead to the future, we have no doubt that Dr. Sharpless will continue to navigate and direct the FDA in a manner that best benefits patients, and we look forward to executing critical work with him in his new role.”

Dr. Sharpless is currently the director of the National Cancer Institute, the largest division within the National Institutes of Health. He previously served as director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and was a practicing oncologist specializing in leukemia. Additionally, his research focus has been on the roll the cell cycle plays in cancer and aging.  He has authored more than 100 research papers, is an inventor with 10 patents, and is a member of the nation’s oldest honor society for physician-scientists, the American Society of Clinical Investigation.

About Friends of Cancer Research
Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) drives collaboration among partners from every healthcare sector to power advances in science, policy and regulation that speed lifesaving treatments to patients. For more information, please visit www.focr.org.