U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders placed a hold on Barack Obama’s FDA nominee Robert Califf, stating Califf is too close to the pharma industry to be an impartial regulator.
Sanders has stated he would oppose the nomination of Califf over his ties to the pharmaceutical industry since shortly after President Obama nominated him in mid-September, voting ‘nay’ in his nomination earlier this week.
“Dr. Califf’s extensive ties to the pharmaceutical industry give me no reason to believe that he would make the FDA work for ordinary Americans, rather than just the CEOs of pharmaceutical companies,” Sanders said in a statement.
Sanders joins Edward Markey (D.-Mass.), who yesterday put a hold on Califf until the FDA agrees to reform its opioid pain killer approval process.
Markey is pushing for reviewal of opioid approval matters, as he believes addiction should be considered during the approval process. He also pushed for the agency to rescind its approval of OxyContin for children through an advisory panel.
Last week, the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee voted to confirm Califf, whom Obama nominated in September 2015. A cardiologist and longtime Duke University researcher, Califf joined the FDA as a deputy commissioner in January 2015. The panel’s decision sets up a vote in the full Senate, which is widely expected to confirm his appointment.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R.-Alaska) voted “yea,” but repeated a threat to oppose Califf’s nomination on the full Senate floor if the FDA doesn’t pledge to mandate the labeling of recently approved genetically engineered salmon.
Dr. Califf is a cardiologist and researcher who joined the FDA only last year as a deputy commissioner. Previous to his time with the FDA, Califf held senior positions at Duke University, helping found an academic research center that received more than half of its funding from the drug industry.
Material from Reuters was used in this post.
