HHS Plans 2 New FDA Deputy Posts as Trump Team Seeks More Sway
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Aug 25
HHS Plans 2 New FDA Deputy Posts as Trump Team Seeks More Sway
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 25
Summary
Two new FDA deputy commissioner roles—one for technology and AI, one for drugs—are being planned by HHS, with both posts set to report to commissioner nominee Heidi Overton if confirmed.
The restructuring would let HHS appoint new leaders directly, a move people familiar with the plan said some in the Trump administration see as a way to exert greater influence over the agency.
Jared Seehafer, an FDA senior adviser and former Enzyme CEO, is the leading candidate for the technology post; no clear candidate has emerged for the drugs role, and no final decision has been announced.
The plan follows a turbulent period for the FDA, including scrutiny over a multistate cyclospora outbreak and contentious drug calls such as Replimune's accelerated approval, UniQure's reversed trial demand and Capricor's 3-month review extension.
The technology role would span the FDA's internal AI push—including its Elsa tool—and oversight of AI-enabled medical products, after the agency last week issued a discussion paper on regulating generative AI devices.