Ahmed Aboulenein

WASHINGTON (Reuters). The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to approve Dr. Robert Califf’s appointment as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner. This was after several senators had argued that Califf’s ties to the pharmaceutical and birth control industries made him unfit to hold the post.

Calif (70), a respected cardiologist and researcher, takes the FDA’s top job for the second consecutive year. This comes more than one year since the last time the FDA had a permanent leader. He is confirmed at an important moment when the FDA reviews COVID-19 vaccines and treatment options.

From February 2016, to the close of President Barack Obama’s second term, Califf was previously FDA Commissioner.

Janet Woodcock has served as the acting FDA commissioner for many years. He is the long-standing FDA veteran. Woodcock expressed her congratulations to Califf and confirmed that she will continue as principal deputy.

FDA regulates medicine and medical devices, food, tobacco, and cosmetics.

Biden, along with five other Democrats, opposed the nomination of President Joe Biden. These included Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders who stated that Califf worked with drug companies, making him unfit to oversee the sector impartially. West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin also criticized Califf for his handling of the opioid crisis.

Dr. Califf was here five years ago. He’s returning. Manchin explained that nothing had changed, that 400,000 people were killed by opioids since Manchin’s time.

Biden had nominated Califf three months prior to his confirmation. He was supported by six Republicans, who voted with the Democrats. The result: 50 votes for and 46 against. One senator voted present.

North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, who is the top Republican on the Health Committee, asked his fellow Republicans to vote for Califf in the run-up.

Burr stated that “he has the solid agency experience and the private sector experience necessary to build upon the FDA’s success in helping Americans return to their normal lives.” He is the leader that we need now, and for the future.

Contrary to his overwhelming bipartisan support, which he had received before his first attempt in this role (when 89 senators voted for him to be confirmed), the battle against Califf was a stark contrast.

Previous Republican backers stated that they withdrew support for Califf after he told the Senate Health Committee in December that he believed the FDA would make the right call as it considers easing restrictions on abortion pills. The FDA did so two days later.

Before the vote, Republican Senator Steve Daines from Montana said that Robert Califf’s nomination to the FDA Commissioner “endangers the well-being of unborn babies of women and girls”.

Califf’s confirmation was welcome by advocates for reproductive rights who lobbyed FDA to approve over-the-counter contraceptives.

Victoria Nichols (project director for the Free the Pill campaign), stated that she believes it is a very exciting time to use birth control pills.

Both the American Heart Association (cardiology group) and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s patient advocates both welcomed Califf’s confirmation.

Califf is a coauthor of papers, consulted drugmakers and was appointed by Alphabet, the parent company to Google (NASDAQ:) Inc, in 2019. He will be responsible for clinical strategy and policy development across Google Health, Verily Life Sciences, and Google Health.

Verily executive had been advised by Califf on potential product clinical matters since 2017.

Alphabet also supported Duke University’s AI for Health Project. Califf, a professor of cardiology and founder director at the Duke Clinical Research Institute as well as the university’s data science center for health, was involved heavily.

Califf is a member of the board at drugmaker Cytokinetics (NASDAQ:) Inc has been in business since February 2018 according to its website. The company received more than $93,000 in consulting, fees, and other payments between 2014 and 2019, from nine different drugmakers.