February 24, 2016

Manchin Disappointed in Senate Confirmation of Dr. Califf as FDA Commissioner

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today expressed his disappointment in the Senate’s confirmation of Dr. Robert Califf to be the next Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner.

“The fight I led against Dr. Califf was not personal. It was a fight to change the culture of the FDA starting from the top,” Senator Manchin said. “I still believe that we must act now to change the culture at the FDA if we have any hope of stopping the prescription drug abuse epidemic that is ravaging our nation. I am disappointed we could not bring in someone from the outside to head the FDA. My only hope, now that Dr. Califf is confirmed, is that he will continue to hear the many stories of families from West Virginia and across this nation who are crying out for help. I will be very vigilant in monitoring the FDA under Dr. Califf’s leadership to ensure they are making the changes needed to combat the opioid epidemic.”

Senator Manchin has made it his top priority to curb prescription drug abuse in any way possible, including changing the culture at the FDA. Earlier this month, he introduced the “Changing the Culture of the FDA Act.” To read a fact sheet on why this bill is necessary, please click here.

To review a complete timeline of Senator Manchin’s efforts to curb drug abuse, please click here.

To review a fact sheet on the prescription drug abuse epidemic in West Virginia and the U.S., please click here.

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