President Obama’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration has a long history of close ties to industries the agency regulates. At Dr. Robert Califf’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday, senators will need to ask whether those connections will influence his judgment about the safety or effectiveness of prescription drugs.
In recent years, the F.D.A. has approved two diet drugs that European regulators have deemed too risky, leaving the impression that it gives in to industry demands over safety. A new commissioner must be strong enough to protect the agency against such pressure from industry and from members of Congress who believe the approval process for drugs and devices should allow faster approvals with less scientific evidence.
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