Political Quotes

“I rise to voice my opposition to Dr. Robert Califf, the President's nominee to be the Commissioner of the FDA. I do this with all respect for Dr. Califf, his expertise, and all the work he has done. He is a quality human being. I am sure the administration is going to be able to find a position for him that suits his background better than being the head of the FDA, and I say that with all due respect. We had a thoughtful conversation when he came to visit with me. I do not believe he can be the leader we need to change the culture of the FDA. I say that coming from a State that has been ravaged by this opiate addiction. It is going to take someone who is totally committed through and through to make the changes that need to be made. The No. 1 priority of the FDA and its Commissioner should be public health. It is inappropriate for the FDA Commissioner to have such close financial ties with the pharmaceutical industry. I will give a little bit of background on this because what he has done I think is what most of them do. Between 2010 and 2014, Dr. Califf received money through his university salary as well as his consulting fees from 26 different pharmaceutical companies, including opioid manufacturers. Dr. Califf has described FDA regulations as a ``barrier''--not a safeguard--to public health. That is troubling in itself. In 2008, the FDA's approval of new marketing claims for existing drugs was 56 percent. In the first 8 months of 2015, it was 88 percent.…”