FDA Commissioner stepping down

Margaret Hamburg, MD, commissioner of the FDA, will step down from her position, according to multiple reports.

The White House is expected to announce the resignation on Friday, Feb. 6. Hamburg has overseen public health initiatives ranging from tobacco control and food safety to personalized medicine, disease control and drug approvals, for almost six years.

Hamburg, 59, is one of the longest-serving FDA commissioners. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2009 and last year was named the world's 51st most powerful woman by Forbes. 

Stephen Ostroff, MD, the FDA's chief scientist, will fill Hamburg's position until a new commissioner is named.

Prior to her position at the FDA, Hamburg was New York City's health commissioner and served at the National Institutes of Health.

Under Hamburg's leadership the FDA, which oversees products representing more than 20 cents of every dollar spent by U.S. consumers, has proposed measures to improve nutrition by limiting dangerous trans-fats in food and requiring restaurants to post calorie counts on menus. It has also beefed up inspections of food and drugs from overseas, and increased patient engagement in the drug development process.