Trump Taps MD Anderson’s Hahn as FDA Head

President Donald Trump 11/1 nominated MD Anderson chief medical officer Stephen Hahn to be FDA commissioner. Current acting commissioner Ned Sharpless is unexpectedly heading back to his previous position as National Cancer Institute dirctor. While Hahn navigates the Senate confirmation process, HHS assistant secretary for health Brett Giroir will manage FDA’s day-to-day activities. Giroir was sworn in at HHS 2/2018.

Trump chose Hahn after interviewing him in September. He moved from the National Cancer Institute to the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 and was chair of radiation oncology from 2005 to 2014. He then moved to MD Anderson in Houston as division head of radiation oncology and in 2017 was named the center’s chief operating officer at a time of mounting financial losses and staff cuts. He oversaw the center’s day-to-day operations and reportedly earned good reviews for his role in its financial turnaround and rebuilding of staff morale.