Senate confirms Dr. Robert Califf to lead FDAWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to confirm Dr. Robert Califf as head of the Food and Drug Administration, an agency that regulates everything from food and drugs to tobacco, cosmetics and dietary supplements. Califf, 64, a well-regarded cardiologist and researcher, takes the helm at the FDA when lawmakers are pressuring it to speed the approval process for drugs and medical devices and to finalize a proposed rule giving it authority to regulate e-cigarettes. He said one of his first priorities is to strengthen the workforce by reaching out to academic and other centers to attract new talent and create professional “homes” for scientists who work at the FDA. For example, he said in an interview, “we’ve been working to create a coordinated effort to have all our statisticians have an identity and support services that they need.” “For docs like me,” he added, that might mean help with administrative matters such as keeping medical licenses up to date. Another priority for Califf is improving surveillance systems to monitor for safety. “We’re not proposing to do away with the adverse event reporting system that currently exists,” he said, “but we are acutely aware that it is not enough.”  Tools to monitor the safety of medical devices also need to be modernized, he said, and though it will not happen overnight, “we have to do the hard work of making it happen.” He said he thinks medical professions also need to “step up” and be part of the process. And he said getting the authority to regulate e-cigarettes is also a priority. The FDA is also attempting to implement sweeping new regulations to improve food safety and has begun to tackle the approval process for biosimilars, which are cheaper versions of biologic drugs. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which would require the FDA to consider more flexible forms of clinical trials. The Senate is considering similar legislation. The rate of new drug approvals at the FDA is higher than it has been in decades. Last year it approved 45 new drugs, the most since 1996. From 2006 through 2014 it has averaged about 28 new drug approvals per year. Lawmakers and patient groups want the agency to move even faster. Califf has worked on many high-profile clinical studies, and has said he is eager to make the clinical trial process more efficient. Four senators, including Democrat Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, opposed Califf’s nomination. They took the opportunity leading up to the vote to lambaste the FDA for what they said was a lax approach to approving potentially addictive opioid painkillers. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was also among the senators who opposed the nomination, saying Califf’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry made him unfit to regulate it impartially.  Califf joined the FDA as a deputy commissioner a year ago. Previously he held senior positions at Duke University, where he founded a large academic research center that received more than half its funding from the drug industry. He has said the funding never compromised his research. Califf’s confirmation was widely expected. He fills the position left by Dr. Margaret Hamburg, who stepped down after six years as commissioner. Dr. Stephen Ostroff has filled the post on an interim basis. politicsNews
senate confirms robert cliff lead fdawashington reuters the senate voted overwhelmingly wednesday confirm robert cliff head food drug administration agency regulates everything food drugs tobacco cosmetics dietary supplements cliff cardiologist researcher takes helm fda lawmakers pressing speed approval process drugs medical devices finalize proposed rule giving authority regulate he said one first priorities strengthen workforce reaching academic centers attract new talent create professional homes scientists work fda for example said interview working create coordinated effort statisticians identity support services for docs like added might mean help administrative matters keeping medical licenses date another priority cliff improving surveillance systems monitor safety we proposing away adverse event reporting system currently exists said acute aware tools monitor safety medical devices also need modernized said though happen overnight hard work making he said thinks medical professions also need step part process and said getting authority regulate also priority the fda also attempting implement sweeping new regulations improve food safety begun tackle approval process biosimilars cheaper versions biology drugs the house representatives recently passed century cures act would require fda consider flexible forms clinical trials the senate considering similar legislation the rate new drug approvals fda higher decades last year approved new drugs since from averaged new drug approvals per year lawmakers patient groups want agency move even faster cliff worked many clinical studies said eager make clinical trial process efficient four senators including democrat edward market massachusetts joe machine west virginia opposed cliff nomination they took opportunity leading vote lambaste fda said lax approach approving potentially addictive opioid painkillers democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders also among senators opposed nomination saying cliff ties pharmaceutical industry made unfit regulate partially cliff joined fda deputy commissioner year ago previously held senior positions duke university founded large academic research center received half funding drug industry he said funding never compromised research cliff confirmation widely expected he fills position left margaret hamburg stepped six years commissioner stephen ostroff filled post interim basis 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: Senate confirms Dr. Robert Califf to lead FDAWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to confirm Dr. Robert Califf as head of the Food and Drug Administration, an agency that regulates everything from food and drugs to tobacco, cosmetics and dietary supplements. Califf, 64, a well-regarded cardiologist and researcher, takes the helm at the FDA when lawmakers are pressuring it to speed the approval process for drugs and medical devices and to finalize a proposed rule giving it authority to regulate e-cigarettes. He said one of his first priorities is to strengthen the workforce by reaching out to academic and other centers to attract new talent and create professional “homes” for scientists who work at the FDA. For example, he said in an interview, “we’ve been working to create a coordinated effort to have all our statisticians have an identity and support services that they need.” “For docs like me,” he added, that might mean help with administrative matters such as keeping medical licenses up to date. Another priority for Califf is improving surveillance systems to monitor for safety. “We’re not proposing to do away with the adverse event reporting system that currently exists,” he said, “but we are acutely aware that it is not enough.”  Tools to monitor the safety of medical devices also need to be modernized, he said, and though it will not happen overnight, “we have to do the hard work of making it happen.” He said he thinks medical professions also need to “step up” and be part of the process. And he said getting the authority to regulate e-cigarettes is also a priority. The FDA is also attempting to implement sweeping new regulations to improve food safety and has begun to tackle the approval process for biosimilars, which are cheaper versions of biologic drugs. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which would require the FDA to consider more flexible forms of clinical trials. The Senate is considering similar legislation. The rate of new drug approvals at the FDA is higher than it has been in decades. Last year it approved 45 new drugs, the most since 1996. From 2006 through 2014 it has averaged about 28 new drug approvals per year. Lawmakers and patient groups want the agency to move even faster. Califf has worked on many high-profile clinical studies, and has said he is eager to make the clinical trial process more efficient. Four senators, including Democrat Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, opposed Califf’s nomination. They took the opportunity leading up to the vote to lambaste the FDA for what they said was a lax approach to approving potentially addictive opioid painkillers. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was also among the senators who opposed the nomination, saying Califf’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry made him unfit to regulate it impartially.  Califf joined the FDA as a deputy commissioner a year ago. Previously he held senior positions at Duke University, where he founded a large academic research center that received more than half its funding from the drug industry. He has said the funding never compromised his research. Califf’s confirmation was widely expected. He fills the position left by Dr. Margaret Hamburg, who stepped down after six years as commissioner. Dr. Stephen Ostroff has filled the post on an interim basis. 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: senate confirms robert cliff lead fdawashington reuters the senate voted overwhelmingly wednesday confirm robert cliff head food drug administration agency regulates everything food drugs tobacco cosmetics dietary supplements cliff cardiologist researcher takes helm fda lawmakers pressing speed approval process drugs medical devices finalize proposed rule giving authority regulate he said one first priorities strengthen workforce reaching academic centers attract new talent create professional homes scientists work fda for example said interview working create coordinated effort statisticians identity support services for docs like added might mean help administrative matters keeping medical licenses date another priority cliff improving surveillance systems monitor safety we proposing away adverse event reporting system currently exists said acute aware tools monitor safety medical devices also need modernized said though happen overnight hard work making he said thinks medical professions also need step part process and said getting authority regulate also priority the fda also attempting implement sweeping new regulations improve food safety begun tackle approval process biosimilars cheaper versions biology drugs the house representatives recently passed century cures act would require fda consider flexible forms clinical trials the senate considering similar legislation the rate new drug approvals fda higher decades last year approved new drugs since from averaged new drug approvals per year lawmakers patient groups want agency move even faster cliff worked many clinical studies said eager make clinical trial process efficient four senators including democrat edward market massachusetts joe machine west virginia opposed cliff nomination they took opportunity leading vote lambaste fda said lax approach approving potentially addictive opioid painkillers democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders also among senators opposed nomination saying cliff ties pharmaceutical industry made unfit regulate partially cliff joined fda deputy commissioner year ago previously held senior positions duke university founded large academic research center received half funding drug industry he said funding never compromised research cliff confirmation widely expected he fills position left margaret hamburg stepped six years commissioner stephen ostroff filled post interim basis politicsnews