Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg is stepping down from her post at the end of March, the agency announced Thursday.
Hamburg, who has served as the agency’s chief for six years, said it was “with very mixed emotions” that she planned to resign and said her tenure as head of the agency “has been the most rewarding of my career” in a note to staff. She was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2009.
Congress would have to approve her replacement, but until it does, FDA chief scientist Stephen Ostroff will temporarily fill the role, officials said.
Congressional leaders who have been working on plans to speed up the discovery of new cures and the approval of drugs — one dubbed the “21st Century Cures” initiative by House members — praised Hamburg for her work.
“Peggy has been a great partner and participant in the 21st Century Cures initiative,” said Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., in a statement. “I am grateful for her support of this important initiative and look forward to continuing to work with leaders at the FDA and in the administration as the legislative process continues this year to ensure we are firmly on the path to cures.”
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., applauded Hamburg’s leadership during the 2012 outbreak of fungal meningitis that killed 64 people.
“I am grateful to Dr. Hamburg for her leadership of the FDA,” Alexander said in a statement. “I hope the president nominates an FDA commissioner who will work closely with Congress on finding ways to get safe medical treatments, devices and drugs to patients more quickly.”
