The administration announced plans to create two new deputy commissioner roles at the Food and Drug Administration to oversee technology and drugs.
The administration announced plans to create two new deputy commissioner roles at the Food and Drug Administration, focusing on technology and artificial intelligence as well as drugs. These new positions will report to Heidi Overton, the pick of President Trump for FDA commissioner, who awaits Senate confirmation. Jared Seehafer is the leading candidate for the technology role, a position that will oversee both the agency's internal use of AI and its review of AI-enabled products. This leadership structure is intended to provide the administration with greater influence over the agency. The move comes after a period of scrutiny for the FDA, which has faced criticism regarding its handling of a multistate cyclospora outbreak and various drug approvals. The agency has increasingly integrated AI into its operations, using tools like the Elsa generative AI tool for document summarization. The new deputy commissioner for technology will manage these internal operations while also regulating the AI-enabled medical devices that the agency evaluates for safety and effectiveness.