Last week, in a 72-12 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Stephen Hahn as the next Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Hahn, an oncologist, previously served as the chief medical executive at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Since 2015 he was a professor of radiation oncology. 

Hahn’s appointment now fills the vacancy left by Scott Gottlieb, the previous FDA Commissioner who left in April. Norman “Ned” Sharpless served as Acting Commissioner after Gottlieb stepped down, but left after his limited 210-day run came to an end in November.

In addition to a strong focus on the current opioid crisis and other health and drug-related issues, Hahn will also be tasked with protecting the U.S. food supply.

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