New FDA Appointee Is Likely to Emphasize Real-World Data

  • Nov 23, 2021

    President Joe Biden recently nominated former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., to run the agency once more, ending nearly a year of temporary leadership under Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. One insider says that Califf might look to reform and improve the accelerated approval pathway following the controversial Aduhelm (aducanumab) approval earlier this year.

    Califf previously led the FDA during the Obama administration, running the agency for roughly the last two years of Obama’s term. Califf advocates for using “real-world evidence” in addition to clinical trial data in medical approvals. Aduhelm, an Alzheimer’s drug, was approved without such data, though studies of the drug relying on real-world evidence — which takes into account electronic medical record and insurance claims data — are underway. During Califf’s initial tenure, Sarepta Therapeutics’ eteplirsen, a muscular dystrophy drug, also earned accelerated approval despite a large outcry from medical researchers. Read more
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  • Peter Johnson

    Peter has worked as a journalist since 2011 and has covered health care since 2020. At AIS Health, Peter covers trends in finance, business and policy that affect the health insurance and pharma sectors. For Health Plan Weekly, he covers all aspects of the U.S. health insurance sector, including employer-sponsored insurance, Medicaid managed care, Medicare Advantage and the Affordable Care Act individual marketplaces. In Radar on Drug Benefits, Peter covers the operations of (and conflicts between) pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical manufacturers, with a particular focus on pricing dynamics and market access. Before joining AIS Health, Peter covered transportation, public safety and local government for various outlets in Seattle, his hometown and current place of residence. He graduated with a B.A. from Colby College.

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