Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) would like to congratulate Dr. Robert Califf on his bipartisan confirmation today as FDA Commissioner.
The United States is at a pivotal moment for public health, and the leadership Dr. Califf will bring to the FDA will be paramount to assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human drugs, and helping to speed innovations that make medicines more effective, safer, and more affordable.
“Dr. Califf brings decades of experience as a world-renowned leader in cardiovascular medicine,” said Ellen Sigal, Chair & Founder of Friends of Cancer Research. “His in-depth work in clinical research and health outcomes research brings lived experience to the agency that will deeply inform his work.”
The next commissioner will have to balance a myriad of other priorities, including the reauthorization of the user fee programs, developing a framework for appropriate oversight of tobacco and diagnostic tests and development of post-market data to monitor use of medical products.
“We know that Dr. Califf can maximize effectiveness for patients through the FDA,” said Sigal. “The FDA needs a strong commissioner with broad support at such a crucial time and we believe that Dr. Califf is the right person to ensure the FDA keeps pace with science and innovation without sacrificing the safety and efficacy gold standard established by the agency.”
A special thank you to Dr. Janet Woodcock for her incredible job as acting commissioner. We look forward to her continued work at the agency on behalf of patients.
Congratulations, Dr. Califf on your confirmation. We have no doubt Dr. Califf will hit the ground running. We look forward to working with the Commissioner on our collective goal, to improve health for all and put patient needs at the center of our endeavors.
About Friends of Cancer Research
Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) is working to accelerate policy change, support groundbreaking science, and deliver new therapies to patients quickly and safely. We unite scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and policy makers with shared trust and guide them toward meaningful cooperation. This collaboration among partners from every healthcare sector ultimately drives advances in science, policy, and regulation that speed life-saving treatments to patients. For more information, please visit https://friendsofcancerresearch.org/.
