Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump's Potential Nominee For FDA Has Advocated To Let Patients Use Drugs 'At Their Own Risk'
President-elect Donald Trump is weighing naming as Food and Drug Administration commissioner a staunch libertarian who has called for聽eliminating the agency鈥檚 mandate to determine whether new medicines are effective before approving them for sale. 鈥淟et people start using them, at their own risk,鈥 the candidate, Jim O鈥橬eill, said in a 2014 speech to a biotech group. O鈥橬eill, has also called for paying organ donors and setting up libertarian societies at sea 鈥 and has said he was surprised to discover that FDA聽regulators actually enjoy science and like working to fight disease. (Kaplan, 12/7)
President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 transition team is considering a Silicon Valley investor close to billionaire Peter Thiel to head the Food and Drug Administration, according to people familiar with the matter. Jim O鈥橬eill, the Thiel associate, hasn鈥檛 been officially selected,聽according to the people,聽who asked to remain anonymous because the decision process is private, and the Trump team could still go in another direction. (Armstrong, Jacobs and Langreth, 12/7)