Namandjé N. Bumpus, Ph.D., current Chief Scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will become the next FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner when Janet Woodcock, M.D. retires in early 2024. The news was confirmed in a series of posts on X by FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D., as well as in an FDA staff email shared on X by FDA Assistant Commissioner for Media Affairs, Michael Felberbaum.
As Principal Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Bumpus will work closely with FDA leadership to develop, advance, and implement key public health initiatives, as well as to oversee the agency’s day-to-day functions, according to the staff email. One of her main priorities is to assist in the proposed reorganization of a unified Human Foods Program, led by the new FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Jim Jones, including creating a new model for the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA).