Dr. Margaret Hamburg announced last week that she will be stepping down as FDA Commissioner at the end of March 2015. With nearly six years on the job, Dr. Hamburg is one of the longest serving FDA commissioners in recent memory. In an interview with Reuters, Dr. Hamburg cited the job’s heavy demands and the length of time she has held the position as reasons for her decision.
Dr. Hamburg confronted many public health issues, such as the abuse of opioid painkillers, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the growing popularity of e-cigarettes. Other FDA propositions during her time include increasing inspection of food and drug imports from overseas, allowing Plan B to be sold over the counter to young teens, limiting trans-fats in food and requiring restaurants to post calorie counts. Last year the FDA approved 41 new drugs, the highest since 1996, following measures to expedite the approval process.
Dr. Hamburg graduated from Harvard Medical School and has held the positions of assistant director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and New York City health commissioner. After being nominated to the position by President Obama, Dr. Hamburg became the 21st commissioner in May 2009. Although her replacement has not yet been chosen, the candidate must be nominated by Obama and confirmed by the Senate. Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the FDA’s chief scientist, will fill the position until a qualified individual is found.
