Dr. Robert Califf, who led the FDA during the last year of the Obama administration, would run the agency again if the Senate agrees with President Biden’s nomination. The president said Califf “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.”
The Senate confirmed Califf, a cardiologist, as FDA commissioner on an 89-4 vote in February 2016, “but the Friday appointment was already showing signs that it won’t be as easy this time as last,” said Food Safety News. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said the nomination “makes no sense” because of Califf’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
The FDA oversees the safety of a large part of the U.S. food supply, including seafood and fruits and vegetables. It also is in charge of animal drugs and animal feed and shares with USDA oversight of cell-cultured meat.
“If you are producing a food product, there is a good chance it is regulated by FDA,” says the FDA website. “The agency regulates all foods and food ingredients introduced into or offered for sale in interstate commerce, except for meat, poultry, certain processed egg products, and catfish, which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”