Former U.S. FDA chief to advise drugmakers

Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach has joined a consulting firm that advises pharmaceutical and medical device companies on dealing with regulators.

In an interview with Reuters, von Eschenbach said he will provide advice to companies on how to bring new treatments to the market in his role as senior adviser at Greenleaf Health LLC.

Von Eschenbach, a urologic cancer surgeon, said he wanted to “help people understand the full continuum from discovery through development to delivery, and how to do that in a way that’s going to get the greatest benefits for patients in the shortest period of time.”

Von Eschenbach also is the former head of the National Cancer Institute and a cancer survivor.

Greenleaf Health advises healthcare companies on FDA and other regulatory issues including product approval, safety surveillance, marketing and manufacturing. It was founded in 2008 by former FDA chief of staff Patrick Ronan.

Von Eschenbach headed the FDA for about 3 years under Republican President George W. Bush. He left the agency and returned to Texas when Democratic President Barack Obama took office in January.

The FDA regulates medicines, medical devices, most foods and other products that account for about one-quarter of the U.S. economy.

Von Eschenbach said he also will serve as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he previously held various leadership posts, and is looking for other ways to use his expertise in molecular medicine.

He said he will not return to surgery, and will not do any government lobbying.

By Lisa Richwine
WASHINGTON (Reuters)