FDA chief scientist Jesse Goodman departs

FDA Chief Scientist Jesse Goodman, who developed the agency’s Medical Countermeasure Initiative, will be leaving his post to “return to academia and clinical medicine,” FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said Jan. 9. Goodman has been at FDA since 1998, and previously served as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. In 2009, he coordinated the agency’s response to the 2009 swine flu pandemic. (See Also see "First Showing Of New FDA Leadership Comes In Public Health Emergency" - Medtech Insight, 4 May, 2009..)

Goodman is leaving to become a professor of medicine and infectious diseases and an attending physician at Georgetown University and the D.C. Veteran’s Administration Hospital. He will also direct a new center on medical product access, safety and stewardship.

Hamburg has named Stephen Ostroff, chief medical officer in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and senior public health advisor to FDA’s Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine, to be acting chief scientist.

FDA deputy commissioner for global regulatory operations and policy

Howard Sklamberg has been appointed FDA deputy commissioner for global regulatory operations and policy, effective Jan. 13, according to a Jan. 7 announcement by FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg. For the past year, Sklamberg has directed the FDA drug center’s Office of Compliance. Prior to that, he served in the Office of Regulatory Affairs as deputy associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. He replaces Deborah Autor, who left the agency in June for the generic drug firm Mylan. (See Also see "FDA Reorganization Will Not Include John Taylor As Top Aide To Commissioner" - Medtech Insight, 23 December, 2013..)

In the new post, Sklamberg will oversee the Office of Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, including its offices of regulatory affairs and international programs.

Boston Scientific chief medical officer

Boston Scientific Corp. has appointed Craig Thompson senior VP and chief medical officer, interventional cardiology, effective immediately, the global medical device manufacturer said Jan. 6.

Thompson previously served as the director of invasive cardiology and vascular medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine. At Boston Scientific, he will help drive the development of innovative technology within the firm’s interventional cardiology business, the company said.

Craig Thompson, chief medical officer, Boston Scientific Corp.

Photo: Boston Scientific Corp.

Dysis Medical chairman

Dysis Medical Ltd., an Edinburg, Scotland-based device firm specializing in women’s health, named Robert Cascella chairman of the board, effective Jan. 1, 2014. Cascella, who was CEO and president of imaging equipment and diagnostics manufacturer Hologic Inc.from 2003 to 2013, replaces former chairman Martin Hunt. Cascella will help move Dysis “into the next stage of growth and expansion,” said Dysis CEO Alastair Atkinson.

In August 2012, the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence determined that the DySIS cervical cancer screening system is a clinically effective and cost-effective option for detecting pre-invasive or invasive lesions. (See Also see "NICE In Brief" - Medtech Insight, 6 August, 2012..) Cascella said he looks forward to working with Dysis “on the commercialization strategy of a technology capable of significantly improving upon the diagnostic protocols for cervical disease.”

EOS Imaging chief medical officer

EOS imaging SA, a Paris-based firm specializing in 2D/3D orthopedic medical imaging, has named Fabienne Hirigoyenberry-Lanson chief medical officer, the firm said Jan. 8. She has 22 years of device industry experience, and most recently served as VP, global medical affairs, at Accuray Inc.

In the new post, Hirigoyenberry-Lanson will help advance the firm’s clinical and medical affairs programs, said CEO Marie Meynadier.

People Briefs: FDA Turnover; Appointments At Boston Scientific, Dysis Medical

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