This story is from kaisernetwork.org Daily Reports.
ADMINISTRATION WATCH
'Absence of Leadership' at Several Federal Health Agencies Raises
Concerns About Policy Decisions, Washington Post Reports
The Bush administration's struggle to fill leadership positions at the
NIH, the FDA and other "critical health agencies" is raising concern
among lawmakers, industry executives, academics and patient advocates
that "key decisions" may be delayed or made without input from the
scientific community, the Washington Post reports. At HHS, some of the
"top positions" have been vacant for more than a year. For example, HHS
is missing an assistant secretary of health and a director for the Health
Resources and Services Administration. Also, five NIH institutes do not
have directors, and the surgeon general's office will be vacant in a few
weeks. The vacancies "appear" to be caused by a variety of factors,
including objections by Senate Democrats to candidates "aligned with
industry" and the administration's "struggle" over funding for embryonic
stem cell research, the Post reports.
However, the delay also shows how "politicized" science and medicine
have become, as many potent!
ial nominees are unwilling to "navigate the political land mines"
associated with top federal jobs. Mohammed Akhter, executive director of
the American Public Health Association, said, "Without good leaders, the
agencies will continue to tread water without making any progress." A
group of Massachusetts biotech executives recently wrote to White House
Chief of Staff Andrew Card, saying that the lack of an FDA director is
slowing the pace of new drug approvals. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said,
"If we waste several years and we see continued hemorrhage of scientific
talent out of these agencies, we're going to pay dearly in the
development of new therapies, new pharmaceuticals, [and] bioterrorism."
Thompson 'Fills the Gaps'
With HHS missing some key personnel, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson has
done the work himself "to a large extent," the Post reports. For
example, Bush relied heavily on Thompson, who has no medical or
scientific background, and a lawyer in the Office of Management and
Budget to reach a decision on federal funding for stem cell research, the
Post reports.
Thompson also personally negotiated a deal with drug makers to purchase
the antibiotic Cipro after the anthrax incidents last fall and made the
decision to treat those exposed to anthrax with an experimental vaccine.
Now, Thompson is using outside consultants to help decide how to spend
$2.5 billion in new bioterrorism funds. However, HHS spokesperson Bill
Pierce said that Thompson has "great faith" in the agencies' acting
directors. "The secretary believes these are very important positions.
You don't want to rush it for the sake of rushing it," he said. However,
without a director, it is difficult to recruit others and work becomes
"demoralizing" for the existing staff, according to Elizabeth Marincola,
executive director of the American Society for Cell Biology. Paul Berg,
a Stanford University researcher, said, "What is so tragic about this is
that the science is booming; there are an enormous number of
opportunities" (Connolly, Washington Post, 1/10).
Al Gore Endorses FDA Candidate
Speaking at a health care conference in San Francisco on Jan. 9, former
Vice President Al Gore called on Bush to nominate a commissioner for the
FDA. Noting that the agency needs to keep up with "the dramatic
research" in biotechnology, Gore endorsed Alastair Wood, a Vanderbilt
University medical professor, who has been rumored to be a potential
nominee. "We can't [regulate biotechnology breakthroughs] without
effective leadership at the FDA. It's important to fill that post" he
said. Gore also urged Bush to appoint a permanent director at the NIH
(Elias, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 1/9).
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