> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fdaweb.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# FDA Opens Oncology Center of Excellence
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/fda-opens-oncology-center-of-excellence/
- Published: 2017-01-19T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:01:53.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, Devices, #legacy-id-D5137771

In one of his final acts as FDA commissioner, **Robert Califf** announced 1/19 that the agency is officially establishing the Oncology Center of Excellence, with **Richard Pazdur** as its director. “This will make oncology the first disease area to have a coordinated clinical review of drugs, biologics, and devices across the agency’s three medical product centers,” a [statement](http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm537564.htm?ref=fdaweb.com) attributed to Califf says.

The Oncology Center of Excellence was first announced in the fall of 2016 with Pazdur as its acting director. Pazdur has been CDER’s director of hematology and oncology products.

The statement says that while the review criteria and application requirements for medical products, as well as the work of Center review staffs will not change, uniting experts to collaborate on the clinical review of oncology products “will enhance the agency’s work in approving safe and effective cancer products.” It also says the Center of Excellence will improve FDA’s ability to advance oncology-related regulatory science and streamline stakeholder engagement.