McClellan to leave the FDA
US President George Bush has confirmed that he intends to nominate the current commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr Mark McClellan, to run the agency that oversees the US's Medicare agency.
US President George Bush has confirmed that he intends to nominate the current commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr Mark McClellan, to run the agency that oversees the US's Medicare agency.
Dr McClellan has been credited with cutting drug review times and introducing a number of reforms during his short tenure at the FDA.
The shake-up is believed to relate to the White House's belief that it needs a high-profile administrator to oversee implementation of the election-sensitive Medicare drug card and drug benefit.
It remains to be seen who will fill Dr McClellan's shoes, although the current deputy FDA commissioner, Lester Crawford, who served as acting commissioner before Dr McClellan's arrival is the likely contender.