Senate Confirms Stephen Hahn as Next FDA Commissioner

The Senate confirmed Stephen Hahn yesterday in a 72-18 vote as the new FDA commissioner.

In his confirmation hearing, Hahn committed to increasing innovation and drug approvals, and said part of the solution to the opioid crisis is to approve more non-opioid treatment options for pain and look into medical devices that can help with pain relief.

Hahn will be joining the agency from the MD Anderson Center in Houston, where he served as chief medical executive. He is a practicing radiation oncologist and a former researcher and clinician.