Jonathan Jarow seemed on track to become permanent director of FDA’s Office of Medical Policy as he remained acting director months beyond his 120-day detail. But FDA announced he would not be eligible for the position “as a result of conflict issues due to spousal employment.”

The agency did not say what the conflict entailed.

Center for Drug Evaluation and Director Janet Woodcock sent a note to CDER staff saying Jarow would be leaving his acting director post and moving to the Office of the Center Director, effective Oct. 26. In his new role he will serve as a senior medical advisor and implement projects and policy development on behalf of the director and director’s office. Deputy Director Denise Hinton will become acting director, a position she held prior to Jarow’s appointment.

Jarow was detailed as acting director in February. He had been one of the top candidates for director in a national search and FDA decided to use the detail to allow him to try the position before making a final decision ([A#14150218003]).

At the time of his detail Jarow had been with the agency for five years and was serving as associate director for the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products. Before joining FDA he was a professor at Johns Hopkins where he led a basic science lab and specialized in genitourinary cancer and production.

Woodock praised his “exemplary leadership and outstanding performance.”

“Over the past eight months, Jonathan played a vital role in advancing the development and implementation of medical policy guidelines and initiatives related to antibacterial drug development, expanded access, patient and professional prescription drug labeling, First Amendment challenges, and prescription drug promotion,” she said.

Califf Meets With Members Of Senate HELP Committee

The OMP director post has been empty since Rachel Sherman left the agency in January 2014. Sherman is expected to return to FDA in a deputy commissioner position later this year.

According to an organizational chart last updated in September, CDER has 15 director vacancies. One of them was recently filled when former Novartis Consumer Health Inc. exec Michael Kopcha was named the Office of Pharmaceutical Quality’s first permanent director Also see "CDER Pharmaceutical Quality Office Gains Permanent Director" - Pink Sheet, 25 September, 2015..

Last December, Woodcock noted that there were more than 600 positions to fill within the center and that one of her priorities was to improve staffing Also see "Show Me The Money: FDA Recruitment Efforts Challenged By Government Salaries" - Pink Sheet, 12 January, 2015..

FDA is also recruiting a new director for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research as Karen Midthun is retiring from the post at the end of the year ([A#2015500108]).

The staff changes come as Robert Califf’s confirmation as FDA Commissioner moves forward. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hopes to schedule a hearing before the Thanksgiving recess, which begins on Nov. 23 ([A#14151019002]).

Speaking at an Oct. 20 Institute of Medicine workshop, Califf noted that he has been meeting individually with Senators on the HELP Committee. Califf, who was panel moderator of a session devoted to integration and sharing of clinical trial data, alluded to his experience on the Hill.

“Go through a Senate confirmation proceeding and then you’ll know what data sharing is really all about,” he quipped.

[Editor’s note: The story has been updated with new information about Jarow’s title. FDA had initially said he would be an associate director.]

FDA Drug Policy Office Reshuffled Over ‘Spousal Employment’ Conflict

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