On Dec. 13, 2006, nine months after President Bush nominated acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach to become permanent head of the agency, von Eschenbach was sworn in as the 20th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. After a contentious confirmation process focused on contraception drugs and drug approvals, the Senate approved the nomination early in December.
Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services issued the following statement: “I am pleased by the Senate’s action today confirming Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and thereby bringing permanent leadership to this critical agency. Andy has the energy, vision and expertise that will help the agency to improve product safety, spur innovation and help life-saving therapies reach patients faster. He is a superb choice to lead this agency and I appreciate the work of Majority Leader Frist, Chairman Enzi, Senator Kennedy and others in confirming him.”
The former director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), von Eschenbach also seved as executive vice president and chief academic officer of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He is a founding member of C-Change and was president-elect of the American Cancer Society at the time of his appointment to the NCI. In addition, he has written more than 200 articles, books, and book chapters and also served as an editorial board member of several leading journals and on several organizational boards.
