Stephen Hahn for US FDA Commissioner: Will Academic Experience Suffice for Confirmation?

The Pink Sheet

Commenting in an article on the recent nomination of MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Stephen Hahn as FDA Commissioner, Catalyst President Nancy Bradish Myers says that the wide depth and breadth of the FDA’s purview will require some time to fully grasp.

“Myers said much of Hahn’s immediate duties will involve continuing implementation of blueprints that already are set up and moving forward. She also indicated the senior leaders at FDA are proficient at briefing new and acting commissioners.”

“However, Myers said that while Hahn will have knowledgeable people around him, his lack of in-depth understanding of some FDA issues may slow some activities,” the article summarizes.
“I think you learn it over time,” she said. “When a center director caught Scott [Gottlieb] in the hallway and needed a quick decision, he could do it right then.”

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