Margaret A. Hamburg

Commissioner, physician

Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., is the commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The second woman to be nominated for this position, she is an experienced medical doctor, scientist, and public health executive. As the top official of the FDA, Hamburg is committed to strengthening programs and policies that enable the agency to carry out its mission to protect and promote the public health.

 

Mon, 12/08/2014 - 14:51
China Journal: Strengthening Relationships to Protect Public Health Highlights from an important trip
Mon, 12/08/2014 - 14:51
I recently wrapped up a jam-packed, five-day visit to China, a fascinating country with a dramatically growing economy and an increasingly significant effect on the products that U.S. citizens consume. Indeed, a key reason for my trip is the…
World Health Assembly 2014 Joining forces to strengthen regulatory systems globally
Tue, 06/17/2014 - 14:46
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), attended every year by leading government health officials from its 194 member nations. Recently, I was pleased to participate as a member of the U.S.…
Visiting India: The Importance of Biomedical Research and Quality Women’s roundtable in Mumbai meet with the FDA’s commissioner
Thu, 03/06/2014 - 16:04
As my busy and productive trip to India drew to a close, I had the opportunity for one final meeting and one last memory with a group of some of the country’s most extraordinary women. The occasion was a women’s roundtable in Mumbai, organized by…
Why FDA Supports a Flexible Approach to Drug Development Increased flexibility doesn’t mean abandoning standards
Wed, 02/26/2014 - 16:49
We all know that just as every person is different, so too is every disease and every drug. And so we weren’t surprised by the results of a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study found that the FDA used a…
Thinking Globally to Strengthen Science and Public Health Locally FDA hosts summit to build a model for regulatory science and critical thinking
Wed, 09/18/2013 - 12:14
There are many good reasons to go to Arkansas in September: to visit Little Rock, America’s No. 1 most livable city; or attend the annual Eureka Springs Antique Automobile Festival, to name two. But neither of these reasons are why more than 100…
Proposed Rules Will Strengthen Global Food Safety FMSA includes enhanced focus on supply chain standards
Tue, 07/30/2013 - 16:36
It’s a small world. Every day, there’s a good chance that some of the food you’re eating came from another country. Fifteen percent of the food we eat, including nearly 50 percent of the fresh fruit and 20 percent of vegetables, is imported each…
A New Breed of Pharmacy Compounding Has Outgrown the Law FDA must have new authorities to regulate these facilities
Mon, 03/25/2013 - 11:27

The deadly outbreak, in October 2012, of fungal meningitis associated with a compounded medication was a horrible tragedy. I’ve asked myself many times if and how it could have been prevented. I speak for everyone at the FDA when I say that…
Global Cooperation Helps Expand Safety Net Encouraging collaboration between nations on common regulatory issues
Mon, 12/03/2012 - 10:09
Every year, millions of products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) flood into the United States from 150 countries. Ensuring these products are safe and effective can be daunting task. It was heartening for me to sign two…