Jesse Goodman is serving as FDA's acting chief medical officer as the agency management realigns to prepare for the Obama administration's topside leadership team.

Goodman, formerly director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, was detailed to the post the week of March 9, FDA said. CBER Deputy Director Karen Midthun is now running the biologics center.

Another sign of Goodman's rising status within the agency is his selection as FDA's lone representative on the Federal Coordinating Committee on Comparative Effectiveness Research, appointed by appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services March 19 (see ¹ Also see "AHRQ’s Clancy, OMB’s Emanuel Among Key Figures On Comparative Research Committee" - Pink Sheet, 19 March, 2009. ).

Goodman, a virologist by training, joined FDA in 1998 to direct the Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance. He later moved into CBER, where his work on bioterrorism preparedness brought him into the same orbit as FDA Commissioner-nominee Margaret Hamburg. The two served on several Institute of Medicine panels focused on microbial threats and bioterrorism preparedness in 2002 and 2003.

Hamburg was formally nominated for the commissioner post by President Obama on March 14 (² Also see "Hamburg, Sharfstein Nominations Shift Focus To Career FDAers’ Plans" - Pink Sheet, 16 March, 2009.). However, the decision to nominate Hamburg was reached in early March at the same time Goodman was named CMO (³ Also see "FDA Commissioner Hamburg: White House Close To Formal Announcement" - Pink Sheet, 9 March, 2009.).

Hamburg's confirmation process is just beginning. However, the other half of the new FDA leadership tandem, Principal Deputy Commissioner-designate Joshua Sharfstein, is expected to join the agency in the near future, since his position does not require Senate confirmation.

- Michael McCaughan(m.mccaughan@elsevier.com)

FDA’s Goodman Moving Up: Named Acting Chief Medical Officer, Appointed To CER Panel

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