Robert Califf, U.S. President Barak Obama’s nominee in 2015
to head the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), had received consulting
fees of roughly $205,000 between 2009 and early 2015 from drug companies and a
medical-device maker.[1]
He donated the money he had made since around 2005 to nonprofit groups, and he
had ceased all such work before he became the FDA deputy commissioner for
medical products and tobacco. The question is whether he would have a conflict
of interest in taking the helm at the regulatory agency that puts the public’s
interest above those of the regulated companies. I contend that such a conflict
is indeed entailed, though not on account of the money he received or any
relationships he had developed with people at the companies.
The complete essay is
at “FDA
Nominee Conflict-of-Interest.”
[1]
Drug companies spent an additional $21,000 reimbursing the cardiologist for
travel, meals, and other expenses. Joseph Walker, “FDA Nominee Received
Industry Fees,” The Wall Street Journal,
September 19-20, 2015.
