Obama Nominates Former Duke University Scientist To Oversee FDA

On Tuesday, President Obama nominated former Duke University scientist Robert Califf to be the next FDA commissioner. FDA has been without a confirmed commissioner since Margaret Hamburg stepped down from the post in March. Stephen Ostroff, FDA's former chief scientist, is serving as acting commissioner. In January, Califf became the deputy FDA commissioner for medical products and tobacco. Prior to his time at FDA, Califf was the founding director of the world's largest academic research organization -- Duke's Clinical Research Institute -- a professor of medicine, a researcher on pharmaceuticals and vice chancellor for clinical and translational research.

• "Obama Nominates Duke Researcher Robert Califf To Lead FDA" (Sink et al., Bloomberg Business, 9/15).
• "Obama To Nominate Robert Califf To Lead FDA" (Burton, Wall Street Journal, 9/15).