Statement by Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley on Dr. Robert Califf’s Confirmation as FDA Commissioner

We strongly applaud the bipartisan Senate vote in support of Dr. Robert Califf for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).   

Dr. Califf will bring tremendous scientific expertise and hands-on experience to the FDA. It’s critical for the FDA to have a Senate-confirmed leader to synthesize the lessons learned from COVID-19, deploy the benefits of real-world evidence, and in a myriad of other ways, endeavor to keep pace with rapidly evolving science. 

We thank Dr. Janet Woodcock for her service as the FDA’s Acting Commissioner during a critical time for our nation. Her leadership and deep wealth of regulatory expertise were key to bringing about rapid pace interventions against the pandemic.