Janet Woodcock will become acting commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration upon Commissioner Stephen Hahn’s departure on 20 January following the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, leaving the agency in the hands of a career veteran who has been a lead expert in the COVID-19 response.
Woodcock To Be Acting US FDA Commissioner; Sharfstein Tops Biden's List Of Candidates For Post
Agency has been prepping Woodcock for the temporary task but what will happen to her role on Operation Warp Speed remains unclear. The move should give Biden team cushion to confirm a permanent leader of whom a top contender is former senior FDA staffer Joshua Sharfstein, a proponent of drug reforms that may irk manufacturers.