Friends of Cancer Research Applauds this Appointment and Thanks Dr. Rachel Sherman for Her Incredible Service
December 17, 2018 – Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Dr. Amy Abernethy will replace Dr. Rachel Sherman as Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs. Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) applauds this appointment and expresses our sincere gratitude for Dr. Sherman’s incredible public service and decades of innovating at the FDA.
Dr. Abernethy most recently served as chief medical officer, chief scientific officer and senior vice president, oncology, at Flatiron Health, where she was one of the most influential leaders in the oncology and data science spaces.
“Amy is truly an innovator,” said Ellen Sigal, Chair & Founder of Friends. “As a treating physician, not only does she know first-hand the importance and power of the impact the FDA has on patients every day, but she has shown in her many leadership capacities that in order to make true advances, and save lives, you must always innovate with the patient at the forefront. This appointment, in many ways, is a natural progression from the pivotal work that Rachel Sherman has paved the way for since her return to FDA in 2015.”
Before joining Flatiron, Dr. Abernethy was professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and ran the Center for Learning Health Care in the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke Cancer Care Research Program in the Duke Cancer Institute.
“As a medical oncologist, Dr. Abernethy’s motivation to help patients is front and center through her leadership to develop better measures of patient reported outcomes, enhance clinical trials, and improve how care is delivered,” said Jeff Allen, President & CEO of Friends. “Amy’s most recent endeavor as a pioneer in electronic data science is a true contribution that stands to transform the ability to better understand the safety and effectiveness of new medicines.”
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.
