Robert Califf, a prominent medical researcher before joining FDA as a deputy commissioner in January 2015, now holds the top job at the agency. The Senate voted 89-4 to confirm the nomination made last September by President Obama. Action on the nomination was delayed by disputes over a genetically engineered salmon and dissatisfaction with FDA’s handling of abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers.
Among senators voting to confirm Calif was Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. She held up the nomination and inserted a rider in the omnibus government funding bill last December to require FDA to write rules for labeling the AquaAdvantage salmon as genetically engineered. The four senators who voted against the nomination – Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Edward Markey of Massachusetts – criticized FDA during hearings as not being tough enough on opioid abuse, said Agri-Pulse.