The US Senate has confirmed Dr. Stephen Hahn of MD Anderson Cancer Center to serve as the next Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. The Senate confirmed Dr. Hahn on December 12, 2019 with a vote of 72 in favor to 17 against.

Dr. Hahn is the Chief Medical Executive at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas and Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson. He was nominated by President Donald Trump after FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Norman Sharpless, who served from April 5, 2019 to November 1, 2019, completed his tenure. Dr. Sharpless had replaced Scott Gottlieb, who stepped down as FDA Commissioner earlier this year (April 2019). On November 1, 2019, US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar delegated all delegable duties of the FDA Commissioner to Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, HHS Assistant Secretary, who was then appointed Acting FDA Commissioner on November 6, 2019.

Source: United States Senate