Ex-New York Health Commissioner Is F.D.A. Pick

[Celebration]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/us/politics/12hamburg.html

President Obama intends to nominate Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, a former New York City health commissioner, to lead the Food and Drug Administration, sidestepping a battle between drug safety advocates and the drug industry, people briefed on the decision said.

Dr. Hamburg, 53, will succeed Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach, who led the beleaguered agency from 2005 until last January and often had to deflect critics who accused the Bush administration of letting politics play too forceful a role in science policy.

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The F.D.A. is arguably the most important public health agency in the country, but its budget has lagged far behind those of agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A growing list of scandals has led a bipartisan chorus on Capitol Hill to demand major changes and larger budgets, with some legislators advocating that the F.D.A. be split in two.

Dr. Hamburg’s selection, first reported Wednesday on The Wall Street Journal’s Web site, was hailed by top public health officials and experts.

“Peggy has a deep commitment to the public health and, while she appreciates the vital role of industry, will surely focus on what is best for the public,” said Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg, president of the Institute of Medicine, the medical arm of the National Academy of Sciences.