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# 4 Major Issues Facing Sharpless: Attorneys
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/4-major-issues-facing-sharpless-attorneys/
- Published: 2019-04-09T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T01:19:12.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, Drugs, #legacy-id-D5143823

Three DIA Piper attorneys write in an online post that FDA acting commissioner **Norman (Ned) Sharpless**, who has been National Cancer Institute director, inherits four high-profile, ongoing initiatives. “It is yet to be seen how commissioner Sharpless will seek to move these initiatives forward,” they [write](https://www.dlapiper.com/en/us/insights/publications/2019/04/new-acting-fda-commissioner-sharpless/?utm%5Fsource=twitter&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=communications&utm%5Fterm=usa&utm%5Fcontent=publication-communications), “and whether his current status as acting commissioner (rather than a permanent, Senate-confirmed commissioner) will impact his ability, politically, to drive change in these areas.”

With HHS secretary **Alex Azar** saying there will be “no let up” in FDA’s focus, the attorneys say four key areas to watch are opioids, drug pricing, clinical trial reform, and e-cigarettes and youth vaping.