Skip to Content

White House vetting former FDA Commissioner Dr. Rob Califf to once again lead agency

<i>Win McNamee/Getty Images</i><br/>The White House is in the process of vetting former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Rob Califf to become the agency's leader once again. Califf is shown here on November 17
Getty Images
Win McNamee/Getty Images
The White House is in the process of vetting former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Rob Califf to become the agency's leader once again. Califf is shown here on November 17

By Kaitlan Collins and Jeremy Diamond, CNN

The White House is in the process of vetting former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Rob Califf to become the agency’s leader once again, according to three sources familiar with the process.

For nine months, President Joe Biden has struggled to find a candidate who is both qualified and could win Senate confirmation. The White House ruled out the current acting commissioner, Dr. Janet Woodcock, after it became clear she would face steep opposition from a handful of lawmakers, including West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, for how liberally the FDA approved opioids when she ran the drug division within the agency.

Though Califf is seen as a final contender, a decision has not yet been made and others are also still being considered.

“There has not been a decision made for the FDA commissioner and we remain grateful to the strong acting leadership at the FDA,” a White House official told CNN in a statement Thursday.

Woodcock cannot legally stay on as the acting head past November 15 unless a permanent commissioner has been nominated. The White House is expected to name a nominee in the coming weeks.

The Washington Post first reported Califf’s consideration for the role.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - US Politics

Jump to comments ↓

Author Profile Photo

CNN Newsource

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KVIA ABC 7 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content