Home / Health / Veteran Cancer Drug Regulator to Lead FDA's Main Drug Approval Division
Veteran Cancer Drug Regulator to Lead FDA's Main Drug Approval Division
13 Nov
Summary
- FDA appoints Dr. Richard Pazdur, a respected cancer drug regulator, to lead the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
- Pazdur has been with the FDA for 26 years and is known for helping speed up approval of lifesaving cancer drugs
- The FDA has seen hundreds of staff departures in the past year
In a move to stabilize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency has appointed one of its most respected cancer drug regulators, Dr. Richard Pazdur, to lead the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Pazdur, who has been with the FDA for 26 years, is taking on this new role at a time when the agency has faced significant upheaval, with hundreds of staff departures over the past year.
Pazdur is known for his work in helping speed the approval of lifesaving cancer drugs. His appointment to the helm of CDER, which oversees most prescription and over-the-counter drugs, is seen as a positive step forward for the agency. "I'm honored to lead CDER at a time when the FDA is achieving long-sought regulatory reforms," Pazdur said, expressing his enthusiasm to help the country "reach its peak in drug development."
The CDER has seen its staff numbers decline by around 1,000 this year due to dismissals, buyouts, and resignations. Pazdur's predecessor, Dr. George Tidmarsh, recently resigned after being placed on leave during an inspector general investigation. Tidmarsh, a former biotech executive, had faced criticism and a lawsuit over his handling of the FDA's fast-track approval system.
