Biden picks former FDA chief Califf to again lead agency

By MATTHEW PERRONE and ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is nominating former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Robert Califf to again lead the regulatory agency. That’s according to a person familiar with the decision. Califf served as FDA commissioner for the last 11 months of President Barack Obama’s second term. Before that, Califf spent more than 35 years as a prominent researcher at Duke University. The FDA oversees COVID-19 vaccines, drugs and tests along with thousands of other medicines and consumer goods. Califf’s nomination comes after months of the concern that the FDA has lacked a permanent leader.