Sanders blocks Obama nominee to lead FDA, citing industry tiesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday he has placed a hold on President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, claiming he is too close to the pharmaceutical industry to be an impartial regulator. The move by the U.S. senator from Vermont comes one day after Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts also placed a hold on the nomination until the agency agrees to reform its process for approving opioid painkillers. The nominee, Dr. Robert Califf, is a cardiologist and researcher who joined the FDA a year ago as a deputy commissioner. He previously held senior positions at Duke University, where he founded a large academic research center that received more than half of its funding from the drug industry. “Dr. Califf’s extensive ties to the pharmaceutical industry give me no reason to believe that he would make the FDA work for ordinary Americans, rather than just the CEOs of pharmaceutical companies,” Sanders said in a statement. A “hold” is a procedure by which a senator can prevent a measure from being voted on by the full Senate. Peter Pitts, a former associate commissioner for external affairs at the FDA who is now president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, said no hold has ever killed a vote on an FDA commissioner and he does not expect it to now. “It would be very undemocratic not to let the other senators have their say,” he said. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted earlier this month to confirm Califf as FDA commissioner, a position open since Dr. Margaret Hamburg stepped down last February. Kevin Griffis, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, said Califf “is the right person with the right experience to build on the FDA’s unsurpassed record of protecting public health while encouraging innovation and the introduction of new life-saving therapies to the market.” He added: “We would like to see him confirmed as quickly as possible.” On Monday, HHS said that addressing the opioid crisis was “a top priority.” Markey wants opioid approval matters to be reviewed by an FDA advisory committee and believes the committee should consider the risk of addiction and abuse during the approval process. He also wants the agency to rescind approval of OxyContin for children and convene an advisory panel to guide that process. Sanders said he shared Markey’s concerns about the FDA’s approach to opioid painkillers. Too many Americans are dying from what has become an “opioid epidemic,” he said in a statement. U.S. deaths from drug overdoses hit a record in 2014, increasing 6.5 percent to 47,055, propelled by prescription painkiller and heroin abuse, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA does not control drug prices, but Sanders said that “at a time when millions of Americans cannot afford to purchase the prescription drugs they require, we need a leader at the FDA who is prepared to stand up to the drug companies.” Last year, he said, one in five Americans, or 35 million people, could not afford to fill their prescriptions. Sanders has made healthcare a key theme of his campaign to be the Democratic Party’s candidate in the November election. He is competing with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. Califf is widely expected to ultimately be confirmed as FDA commissioner. “I don’t think Senator Sanders’ hold will slow the process down,” Pitts said. Califf will need to meet with Sanders and reassure him of the FDA’s independence, Pitts said. “In the meantime,” he added, “He’s made his point.”  (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by David Alexander, Jeffrey Benkoe, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio) SAP is the sponsor of this coverage which is independently produced by the staff of Reuters News Agency.politicsNews
sanders blocks obama nominee lead fda citing industry tieswashington reuters democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders said tuesday placed hold president barack obama nominee head food drug administration claiming close pharmaceutical industry impartial regulator the move senator vermont comes one day democratic senator edward market massachusetts also placed hold nomination agency agrees reform process approving opioid painkillers the nominee robert cliff cardiologist researcher joined fda year ago deputy commissioner he previously held senior positions duke university founded large academic research center received half funding drug industry dr cliff extensive ties pharmaceutical industry give reason believe would make fda work ordinary americans rather ceo pharmaceutical companies sanders said statement a hold procedure senator prevent measure voted full senate peter pits former associate commissioner external affairs fda president center medicine public interest said hold ever killed vote fda commissioner expect it would democratic let senators say said the senate committee health education labor pensions voted earlier month confirm cliff fda commissioner position open since margaret hamburg stepped last february kevin griffin spokesman department health human services oversees fda said cliff right person right experience build fda surpassed record protecting public health encouraging innovation introduction new therapies he added we would like see confirmed quickly on monday hhs said addressing opioid crisis top market wants opioid approval matters reviewed fda advisory committee believes committee consider risk addiction abuse approval process he also wants agency rescind approval oxycontin children convene advisory panel guide process sanders said shared market concerns fda approach opioid painkillers too many americans dying become opioid epidemic said statement deaths drug overdose hit record increasing percent propelled prescription painkiller heroin abuse according centers disease control prevention the fda control drug prices sanders said time millions americans afford purchase prescription drugs require need leader fda prepared stand drug last year said one five americans million people could afford fill prescriptions sanders made healthcare key theme campaign democratic party candidate november election he competing former secretary state hillary clinton former maryland governor martin o valley cliff widely expected ultimately confirmed fda commissioner i think senator sanders hold slow process pits said cliff need meet sanders reassure fda independence pits said in meantime added he made reporting susan heavy editing david alexander jeffrey bene jonathan oasis david gregory sap sponsor coverage independently produced staff reuters news
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Sanders blocks Obama nominee to lead FDA, citing industry tiesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday he has placed a hold on President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, claiming he is too close to the pharmaceutical industry to be an impartial regulator. The move by the U.S. senator from Vermont comes one day after Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts also placed a hold on the nomination until the agency agrees to reform its process for approving opioid painkillers. The nominee, Dr. Robert Califf, is a cardiologist and researcher who joined the FDA a year ago as a deputy commissioner. He previously held senior positions at Duke University, where he founded a large academic research center that received more than half of its funding from the drug industry. “Dr. Califf’s extensive ties to the pharmaceutical industry give me no reason to believe that he would make the FDA work for ordinary Americans, rather than just the CEOs of pharmaceutical companies,” Sanders said in a statement. A “hold” is a procedure by which a senator can prevent a measure from being voted on by the full Senate. Peter Pitts, a former associate commissioner for external affairs at the FDA who is now president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, said no hold has ever killed a vote on an FDA commissioner and he does not expect it to now. “It would be very undemocratic not to let the other senators have their say,” he said. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted earlier this month to confirm Califf as FDA commissioner, a position open since Dr. Margaret Hamburg stepped down last February. Kevin Griffis, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, said Califf “is the right person with the right experience to build on the FDA’s unsurpassed record of protecting public health while encouraging innovation and the introduction of new life-saving therapies to the market.” He added: “We would like to see him confirmed as quickly as possible.” On Monday, HHS said that addressing the opioid crisis was “a top priority.” Markey wants opioid approval matters to be reviewed by an FDA advisory committee and believes the committee should consider the risk of addiction and abuse during the approval process. He also wants the agency to rescind approval of OxyContin for children and convene an advisory panel to guide that process. Sanders said he shared Markey’s concerns about the FDA’s approach to opioid painkillers. Too many Americans are dying from what has become an “opioid epidemic,” he said in a statement. U.S. deaths from drug overdoses hit a record in 2014, increasing 6.5 percent to 47,055, propelled by prescription painkiller and heroin abuse, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA does not control drug prices, but Sanders said that “at a time when millions of Americans cannot afford to purchase the prescription drugs they require, we need a leader at the FDA who is prepared to stand up to the drug companies.” Last year, he said, one in five Americans, or 35 million people, could not afford to fill their prescriptions. Sanders has made healthcare a key theme of his campaign to be the Democratic Party’s candidate in the November election. He is competing with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. Califf is widely expected to ultimately be confirmed as FDA commissioner. “I don’t think Senator Sanders’ hold will slow the process down,” Pitts said. Califf will need to meet with Sanders and reassure him of the FDA’s independence, Pitts said. “In the meantime,” he added, “He’s made his point.”  (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by David Alexander, Jeffrey Benkoe, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio) SAP is the sponsor of this coverage which is independently produced by the staff of Reuters News Agency.politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: sanders blocks obama nominee lead fda citing industry tieswashington reuters democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders said tuesday placed hold president barack obama nominee head food drug administration claiming close pharmaceutical industry impartial regulator the move senator vermont comes one day democratic senator edward market massachusetts also placed hold nomination agency agrees reform process approving opioid painkillers the nominee robert cliff cardiologist researcher joined fda year ago deputy commissioner he previously held senior positions duke university founded large academic research center received half funding drug industry dr cliff extensive ties pharmaceutical industry give reason believe would make fda work ordinary americans rather ceo pharmaceutical companies sanders said statement a hold procedure senator prevent measure voted full senate peter pits former associate commissioner external affairs fda president center medicine public interest said hold ever killed vote fda commissioner expect it would democratic let senators say said the senate committee health education labor pensions voted earlier month confirm cliff fda commissioner position open since margaret hamburg stepped last february kevin griffin spokesman department health human services oversees fda said cliff right person right experience build fda surpassed record protecting public health encouraging innovation introduction new therapies he added we would like see confirmed quickly on monday hhs said addressing opioid crisis top market wants opioid approval matters reviewed fda advisory committee believes committee consider risk addiction abuse approval process he also wants agency rescind approval oxycontin children convene advisory panel guide process sanders said shared market concerns fda approach opioid painkillers too many americans dying become opioid epidemic said statement deaths drug overdose hit record increasing percent propelled prescription painkiller heroin abuse according centers disease control prevention the fda control drug prices sanders said time millions americans afford purchase prescription drugs require need leader fda prepared stand drug last year said one five americans million people could afford fill prescriptions sanders made healthcare key theme campaign democratic party candidate november election he competing former secretary state hillary clinton former maryland governor martin o valley cliff widely expected ultimately confirmed fda commissioner i think senator sanders hold slow process pits said cliff need meet sanders reassure fda independence pits said in meantime added he made reporting susan heavy editing david alexander jeffrey bene jonathan oasis david gregory sap sponsor coverage independently produced staff reuters news