Following the resignation of Scott Gottlieb, Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless, MD, has been named the acting commissioner of the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) by Alex Azar, the Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, effective April 2019
“Dr. Sharpless’ deep scientific background and expertise will make him a strong leader for FDA,” said Azar in a statement. “There will be no let-up in the agency’s focus, from ongoing efforts on drug approvals and combating the opioid crisis to modernizing food safety and addressing the rapid rise in youth use of e-cigarettes.”
Sharpless has been the director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since Oct. 17, 2017. Before accepting the position at NCI, he was the director of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“It will be an honor to advance the FDA’s critical public health mission and build on its progress toward the priorities laid out by President Trump, Secretary Azar, and Commissioner Gottlieb alongside the leadership and staff of the agency,” Sharpless said in a statement.
