New FDA chief can’t come soon enough for beleaguered agency

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the leading agencies in the government’s fight against COVID-19 is finally on the verge of getting a new commissioner. After nearly nine months of searching, President Joe Biden says he’s close to naming his choice to lead the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees vaccines, drugs and tests. Former FDA officials and other experts say the decision cannot come soon enough for the agency’s beleaguered regulators. Thousands of FDA staffers are exhausted after rushing to clear products to battle COVID-19 for more than a year and a half. And the agency’s reputation for rigorous, science-based regulation is threatened by contentious disputes over COVID-19 booster shots and a new Alzheimer’s drug.