California Life Sciences Association Applauds Confirmation Of Dr. Scott Gottlieb As New FDA Commissioner

WASHINGTON & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California Life Sciences Association (CLSA), the state’s premier public policy and business solutions organization representing the California life sciences industry, today commended the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Scott Gottlieb, M.D., as the new commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As the key federal agency responsible for protecting and promoting public health by regulating drugs, medical devices, food safety and other health-related products, the FDA plays a vital role in the development of all biopharmaceuticals and medical technologies. As such, the FDA’s work heavily impacts the pace at which innovation is driven in California’s life sciences industry as well as the delivery of life-changing medicines and technologies far beyond the state of California.

“On behalf of the hundreds of life sciences organizations up and down the state we embody, California Life Sciences Association applauds the confirmation of Scott Gottlieb, M.D., as FDA Commissioner. Over the span of his distinguished career, Dr. Gottlieb has a proven track record as a strong advocate for both protecting public health and promoting biomedical innovation,” said Sara Radcliffe, President and CEO, California Life Sciences Association (CLSA).

“More recently, Dr. Gottlieb’s prominent and respected participation on several public health and policy committees, including the Federal Health IT Policy Committee and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, further confirm the breadth and depth of his experience and commitment to bringing life-saving innovations to patients in need. During his previous time at the FDA as a deputy commissioner, Dr. Gottlieb was a strong advocate for policies that supported an efficient and streamlined drug development and approval process, including supporting development of the Critical Path Initiative. With his experience in regulatory matters, and understanding of agency and industry needs, we are confident Dr. Gottlieb will be an exemplary leader for the FDA. We look forward to working with him and his team at the FDA to meet our shared goals,” added Radcliffe.

Dr. Gottlieb previously served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs, a position he held from 2005 to 2007. He has also served as a senior policy advisor to the Administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He is a former member of the editorial staff of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Dr. Gottlieb is currently a clinical assistant professor at New York University School of Medicine, and a resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

About California Life Sciences Association (CLSA)

California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) is the state’s largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, South San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington DC, CLSA works closely with industry, government, academia and others to shape public policy, improve access to innovative technologies and grow California’s life sciences economy. CLSA serves biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies, research universities and institutes, investors and service providers throughout the Golden State. CLSA was founded in 2015 when the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio) and the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) merged.

Visit CLSA at www.califesciences.org, and follow us on Twitter @CALifeSciences, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.