FDA pick Califf parries questions at confirmation hearing

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and MATTHEW PERRONE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration parried questions on crises ranging from the COVID pandemic to the opioid epidemic at his confirmation hearing Tuesday. Dr. Robert Califf’s appearance before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee seemed to bode well for his confirmation, although Sen. Bernie Sanders later announced his opposition. If confirmed, Califf promised he would use data to streamline the approval of COVID treatments and tests, conduct a full review of the agency’s controversial handling of opioid painkillers, maintain focus on tobacco regulation, work to make prescription drugs more affordable, and confront medical misinformation on social media.