Published 21 May 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b2079
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2079

News

US Senate confirms Margaret Hamburg as new head of FDA

Janice Hopkins Tanne

1 New York

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The US Senate has unanimously confirmed Margaret Hamburg this week as commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration.

Dr Hamburg’s new boss, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of health and human services, called her "an inspiring public health leader with broad experience in infectious disease, bioterrorism, and health policy" while also praising Joshua Sharfstein, who has served as acting commissioner and who will be Dr Hamburg’s deputy.

During the Bush administration, the Food and Drug Administration was criticised for being too cosy with the drug industry for its handling of outbreaks of food poisoning and contaminated heparin and for delays in approving the morning after birth control pill.

Dr Hamburg, speaking in advance of her confirmation in hearings before the Senate committee on health, education, labour, and pensions, said that as commissioner she would operate an agency that was accessible and transparent.

The agency was facing "new and daunting challenges" she . . . [Full text of this article]


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