HHS, FDA nominations still clouded

WASHINGTON Reports are surfacing that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius may be out of the running as Pres. Obama’s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, even as two strong candidates have emerged for the post of commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Sebelius, a highly regarded state executive and an early supporter of Obama’s bid for the presidency, was considered a front-runner for the post of HHS secretary following the withdrawal of Tom Daschle from consideration following revelations of a delinquent tax payment problem. However, some Republican lawmakers in the Senate have voiced strong disapproval over Sebelius’ support of pro-choice abortion policies as Kansas governor, and have warned they’ll oppose her nomination.

The White House is said to be concerned about the void in health care leadership following Daschle’s withdrawal from consideration, and is moving quickly to vet potential nominees for both HHS secretary and FDA commissioner. Among the top prospective nominees for the FDA post, according to a report in The Washington Post, are two health policy experts with strong ties to some powerful congressional leaders. 

Joshua Sharfstein, one of the names most frequently cited for the post, is Baltimore health commissioner. He once served California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman, co-author of the Hatch-Waxman generic drug compromise legislation, as a health policy advisor. 

Margaret Hamburg, also cited as a potential front-runner for FDA commissioner, served in the Clinton Administration as assistant secretary of health and human services for policy and evaluation. Hamburg also served as health commissioner for the City of New York.