FDA’s agenda in limbo as Biden’s nominee stalls in Senate

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the powerful Food and Drug Administration has stalled in the narrowly divided Senate. It’s an unexpected setback that could delay long-awaited decisions on everything from electronic cigarettes to prescription opioids. Biden nominated Dr. Robert Califf for the job in November after months of vetting candidates. Califf was viewed as a safe choice because he’d previously headed the FDA under President Barack Obama and had cleared the Senate by an overwhelming vote. But Califf’s latest bid has been embroiled in disparate political controversies that threaten to sink his nomination and leave the FDA in limbo for months.