The Senate health committee on Dec. 3 voted 18-5 to advance the nomination of Stephen Hahn, MD, to the post of FDA commissioner.
Dr. Hahn, who is CMO of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, is a practicing radiation oncologist. He was nominated by President Donald Trump in September after the resignation of Scott Gottlieb, MD. Ned Sharpless, MD, is currently serving as acting commissioner.
Dr. Hahn has garnered the support of nearly 80 industry organizations, as well as the recommendation of his colleagues at MD Anderson and five previous FDA commissioners, according to health committee chairman Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.
"Dr. Hahn has extensive medical and research experience and is a proven leader in large health systems — all around, he is exactly the type of nominee we want to lead an agency as important as the FDA," Mr. Alexander said at the Dec. 3 hearing, according to a press release.
The five senators who voted against the nomination of Dr. Hahn were all Democrats: Patty Murray of Washington, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Tina Smith of Minnesota.
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