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# Califf on How FDA Addresses Chronic Diseases
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/califf-on-how-fda-addresses-chronic-diseases/
- Published: 2024-02-07T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T14:22:23.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, #legacy-id-D5156312

Writing 2/3 in the *New England Journal of Medicine*, FDA commissioner **Robert Califf**, chief medical officer **Hilary Marston**, and senior advisor for chronic diseases **Haider Warraich** discuss how FDA uses its role as a regulatory, scientific, and public health agency to “support the development of effective and accessible interventions for preventing and treating common chronic diseases and to promote the appropriate use of approved therapies.” The importance of this work, they say, lies in the fact that of the 10 most common causes of death in the U.S., seven are chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and chronic lung, liver, and kidney diseases.

“These common chronic diseases are partly responsible for the recent startling decrease in life expectancy in the United States,” the article says. “Such diseases seldom occur in isolation: 58% of U.S. adults have two or more chronic diseases. Even among younger adults (aged 20-29), more than one in five have multiple chronic diseases.”

The authors write that through collaboration among stakeholders, it is possible to improve the way in which evidence is generated and interventions are developed and implemented to help address common chronic diseases.

The agency has several initiatives to support improved clinical trials, they say, including continuing efforts to improve trial diversity.

“The pervasiveness of common chronic diseases requires a broad coalition,” the article concludes, “one that should include the biomedical and digital health industries, health systems, payers, patients, patient advocates, policymakers, and other government agencies. The reward for such a united front could be the realization of a thriving and more equitable society.”