“President Joe Biden met privately on Friday with Robert Califf, in the clearest sign yet that he’s preparing to nominate the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner to a return to the agency’s top job, two people with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO.”
“The meeting comes after Califf emerged in recent weeks as a leading candidate to run the FDA, and amid a drawn-out search for Biden’s first permanent commissioner.”
“Neither the White House nor Califf has responded to requests for comment.”
“Biden has not yet finalized his pick. But the two people with knowledge of the matter and a third person familiar with the search process said that Biden’s meeting with Califf represents a final step ahead of a formal decision. The White House spent the last several weeks vetting Califf, who led the FDA for a year under President Barack Obama.”
“A cardiologist by training, Califf also spent two years as deputy commissioner of the FDA’s medical products and tobacco office. He worked closely with Biden during the Obama era on the then-vice president’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative, and also helped form the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence…”
“If nominated, Califf would be in line to run an agency that has faced months of scrutiny over its role in the Covid-19 vaccination campaign and broader pandemic response…” Read the full article here.
Source: Biden meets with top FDA candidate – By Adam Cancryn and David Lim, October 22, 2021. POLITICO.
