Note: This press release was originally distributed by the Reagan-Udall Foundation and can be viewed HERE.
November 21, 2016 – The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA (RUF), an independent nonprofit organization that works to advance regulatory science to help support the scientific mission of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has elected Ellen V. Sigal, PhD, as its new Chairman and Richard L. Schilsky, MD, as Vice Chairman of the RUF Board of Directors. Dr. Sigal has served as the Acting Board Chairman for RUF since 2015 and Dr. Schilsky has been a Board member since 2013. Both individuals bring decades of leadership and experience to these roles.
“The Reagan-Udall Foundation has been integral in developing multi-sector collaborations to advance the mission of the FDA, said Dr. Rob Califf, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “At a time when transformative scientific discoveries are being made at a rapid pace, it is more important than ever that the FDA have strong partners like The Reagan-Udall Foundation. I congratulate Ellen Sigal and Rich Schilsky – two truly extraordinary leaders, who have wisely been chosen by their peers to lead the Foundation during this key time.”
“The Reagan-Udall Foundation is uniquely positioned to strengthen the FDA’s essential role in supporting innovation and advancing public health. I am honored to have been selected as Chair of this exceptional organization,” said Dr. Sigal. “There are many important projects underway at The Foundation that are enhancing the mission of the FDA, and many exciting opportunities on the horizon to advance regulatory science in a meaningful way and ultimately improve the lives of patients.”
Dr. Sigal is the Chairperson and Founder of Friends of Cancer Research, a cancer research and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. During the past 20-plus years, Dr. Sigal has held many leadership positions in research and advocacy, including serving on the Board of Governors of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the Board of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, the Board of Advisors for the George Washington University’s Milken Institute of Public Health, and the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel. She also serves in numerous other advisory and governance capacities for various cancer advocacy groups, public policy organizations, and academic health centers.
“The Reagan-Udall Foundation has become an important mechanism for engaging a wide range of key stakeholders who are interested in supporting the FDA’s critical mission and advancing regulatory science,” said Dr. Schilsky. “I am honored to have been selected to serve the Foundation in this capacity.”
Dr. Schilsky is the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and is a well-regarded clinical oncologist and researcher. Dr. Schilsky has served in various ASCO leadership roles including President and held numerous appointments as a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago where he served at various times as a director of the comprehensive cancer center, chief of the division of hematology-oncology and associate dean for clinical research. He has also provided guidance to the National Cancer Institute and FDA on multiple research and advisory boards, and currently serves on the editorial board of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA is an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization created by Congress to advance the mission of the FDA by advancing regulatory science and research. With the ultimate goal of improving public health, the Foundation provides a unique opportunity to bring all parties to the table (FDA, patient groups, academia, other government entities and industry) to work together in a transparent way to create exciting new regulatory science.
