Senate Confirms Robert Califf as FDA Commissioner

The Senate recently confirmed Robert Califf as FDA Commissioner after the Biden administration nominated him in early November, according to multiple outlets.

The final vote was 50 to 46, with six GOP senators voting to confirm Califf and five Democrats voting against. It took Biden nearly ten months to nominate Califf, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Califf will replace agency veteran Janet Woodcock. Woodcock stepped in as Acting FDA Commissioner while the Biden administration finalized a nominee for the position in January 2021. 

A cardiologist at Duke University and member of the National Academy of Medicine, Califf is considered an expert in healthcare quality and experimental drugs. He has worked with drug makers on clinical trials and served on the director boards for many drug companies throughout his career.

From February 2016 to January 2017, Califf served as FDA commissioner following an 89-4 Senate confirmation vote.

As FDA commissioner, Califf will play a critical role in one of the key agencies overseeing the US pandemic response, according to the Wall Street Journal. The FDA has continued to assess COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and tests throughout the pandemic and decide whether the evidence supports use.

Administration officials most recently arranged for Califf to meet with 45 lawmakers to push the nomination across the finish line. And Senior White House officials will make calls to Republican and Democratic senators asking for support.

“I think he’s an outstanding choice for the agency previously held that job, and I inherited the FDA from his leadership, so a lot of his policies and his team was what I inherited when I took over the agency,” former FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, told CBS News.

In recent weeks, many Democrats expressed concern that Califf would be overly lenient in the drug industry and have questioned his commitment to tackling the opioid epidemic.

But President Joe Biden continues to back Califf due to his strong bipartisan support in the Senate during his reign as FDA commissioner and is confident that he will ensure that the agency continues its science and data drive decision-making.

“Dr. Robert Califf is one of the most experienced clinical trialists in the country, and has the experience and expertise to lead the Food and Drug Administration during a critical time in our nation’s fight to put an end to the coronavirus pandemic,” President Joe Biden said in an official statement in November.

“I urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Dr. Califf so he can continue the important work being done in this critical moment,” Biden concluded.