Commissioner of Food and Drugs

Commissioner of Food and Drugs. The Commissioner of Food and Drugs is the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The commissioner provides executive leadership to the agency, which is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of a wide range of products, including human drugs, biological products, medical devices, the food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The position is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate.

History

The origins of the position trace back to the Bureau of Chemistry within the United States Department of Agriculture, led by Harvey Washington Wiley, a chief advocate for the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. The modern office was formally established in 1927 as the "Food, Drug, and Insecticide Administration," with Walter G. Campbell serving as its first commissioner. The agency was renamed the Food and Drug Administration in 1930 and was subsequently transferred to the Federal Security Agency in 1940. Following the Thalidomide scandal and the advocacy of Frances Oldham Kelsey, Congress passed the Kefauver-Harris Amendment of 1962, significantly expanding the FDA's regulatory authority. The agency was later moved to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and, after its split, to the newly created Department of Health and Human Services in 1980.

Appointment and tenure

The commissioner is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate, as outlined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. There is no fixed term of office, and commissioners serve at the pleasure of the president, though they often remain through changes in Presidential administration. The position is classified under Executive Schedule, Level II. In the absence of a confirmed commissioner, an Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs may perform the duties of the office, as was the case with Janet Woodcock prior to the confirmation of Robert Califf.

Powers and responsibilities

The commissioner holds broad authority to execute the laws and regulations enforced by the Food and Drug Administration. Key responsibilities include overseeing the approval process for new pharmaceutical drugs and biological license applications, regulating the safety of the food supply and dietary supplements, ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices from pacemakers to COVID-19 tests, and directing the agency's response to public health emergencies. The commissioner also manages the agency's complex centers, including the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, and the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, and represents the FDA before Congress, the White House, and international bodies like the World Health Organization.

List of commissioners

A chronological list of individuals who have served as Commissioner of Food and Drugs includes Walter G. Campbell (1927-1944), Charles W. Crawford (1944-1951), George P. Larrick (1954-1965), and James L. Goddard (1966-1968). Notable later commissioners include Donald Kennedy (1977-1979), who later served as president of Stanford University; David A. Kessler (1990-1997), who championed regulations on tobacco products; Margaret Hamburg (2009-2015), who oversaw the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act; and Scott Gottlieb (2017-2019), who focused on issues like opioid abuse and e-cigarette use among youth. The current commissioner is Robert Califf, who was confirmed for a second non-consecutive term in 2022.

Relationship to other agencies

The commissioner reports directly to the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and works closely with other components of the Department of Health and Human Services, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The FDA also coordinates with other federal agencies on overlapping mandates, including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on food safety, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on pesticide residues, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on controlled substances. During emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, the commissioner collaborates with entities like the White House COVID-19 Response Team and the World Health Organization.

Category:Food and Drug Administration Category:United States government officials Category:Health in the United States