Trump’s FDA pick to push to approve generics more quickly

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Food and Drug Administration hopes to lower drug costs by approving cheaper generic drugs more quickly.

According to Bloomberg, former FDA Deputy Commissioner Scott Gottlieb would make streamlining drug approvals his top priority, with a particular focus on complex medications that combine old drugs with newer delivery devices, as well as ones with unusually complicated formulations. The news outlet added such changes in approach could come without Congressional approval.

“It is an opportunity for a new administration to make a mark, and do something on an issue where there’s a substantial amount of public interest,” Jack Hoadley, an analyst and professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, told the news source.

On Jan. 31, President Trump called pharmaceutical prices “astronomical” and sought more competition to lower said prices.

In a March 6 speech, Gottlieb stated: “The market isn’t working.” His Senate confirmation hearing has yet to be scheduled.

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