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# Senate Confirms Alex Azar as HHS Secretary
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/senate-confirms-alex-azar-as-hhs-secretary/
- Published: 2018-01-24T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T23:16:40.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5140592

The Senate has voted 55 to 43 to confirm former Eli Lilly executive **Alex Azar** as HHS secretary, succeeding **Tom Price**, who was forced to resign after reports that he routinely flew in chartered jets at taxpayer expense. Azar has pledged to take on issues important to both Republicans and Democrats, including the opioid crisis, the burden of healthcare costs on Americans, and the rising price of pharmaceuticals.

  
Critics say that when he was a senior executive at Eli Lilly, the company significantly raised prices on drugs and that he is not likely to work to hold the industry accountable for drug price increases. They also express concern that he will work with the administration to continue to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.