GENERIC LEADERS SUPPORT NOMINEE TO HEAD FDA

The nomination of Andrew vonEschenbach, MD, to serve ascommissioner of the FDA drew asolid thumbs-up from genericdrug industry leaders, who arehopeful that permanent leadershipat the agency will result inmore focus on cost-saving genericpharmaceuticals.

"As an agency whose missionit is to protect the public health,[the FDA] needs a leader at thehelm," Generic PharmaceuticalAssociation President KathleenJaeger said. "The FDA has manycritical issues on its plate thatimpact consumers' ability toobtain safe, effective, and affordablegeneric medicines, such asestablishing an abbreviatedapproval pathway for genericbiopharmaceuticals and ensuringincreased funding for theOffice of Generic Drugs."