Senate Confirms Hamburg as New FDA Commissioner

The U.S. Senate has reportedly voted unanimously to confirm former New York City Health Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D., as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A physician with expertise in bioterrorism and pandemics, Hamburg told the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions that she intends to address the agency’s food safety record and possibly tighten tobacco regulations. See Bloomberg.com, May 18, 2009; The New York Times and FoodNavigator-USA.com, May 20, 2009.