Health
FDA appointees announced
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 30, 2009
President Obama nominated Margaret Hamburg, MD, as the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and Joshua Sharfstein, MD, as deputy commissioner. The president made the announcement March 14.
Dr. Hamburg is vice president for biological programs at the nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative, based in Washington, D.C. She previously served six years as New York City's health commissioner. Dr. Sharfstein has been Baltimore's commissioner of health since 2005 and led a successful effort to bring about a label change for children's cold and cough medications that pointed up the danger they pose to youngsters.
The American Medical Association welcomed the naming of Dr. Hamburg. "As a physician and former New York City health commissioner, Dr. Hamburg has the experience needed to lead one of the most important public health agencies in the country," said AMA Board of Trustees Chair Joseph M. Heyman, MD.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/03/30/hlbf0330.htm.
