Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has committed to vote against President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration.
In a news release Tuesday afternoon, Sanders, who is an independent but caucuses with Democrats, said he opposes the nomination of Robert Califf because of his ties to the pharmaceutical industry. After leaving the FDA in 2017, Califf received consulting fees from Merck, Biogen and Eli Lilly, and currently owns millions in drug company stocks, according to Sanders’ office.
“That is exactly the close relationship Big Pharma has exploited to regulate the FDA, instead of the FDA regulating them,” Sanders said Tuesday. “The Covid-19 pandemic has made clearer than ever the choice between pharmaceutical profits and the health of our people. In this critical moment, Dr. Califf is not the leader Americans need at the FDA and I will oppose his nomination.”
Califf served previously as the FDA commissioner under former President Barack Obama. Sanders opposed Califf’s nomination back then, as well, saying in February 2016 that he “was not convinced that (Califf) would stand up to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, one of the most powerful special interests in Washington.”
According to Bloomberg Law, Sanders is not alone in his opposition, with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., vowing to vote no. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who opposed Califf’s nomination in 2016, could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday evening.
Bloomberg reports that 69 senators who are still in office voted yes on Califf’s nomination in 2016.
U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was unavailable to comment on his current stance on Tuesday.
According to his office, this is not the first time Sanders has opposed a Biden nominee since the president took office in January. Sanders voted against confirmation of Tom Vilsack as U.S. agriculture secretary in February. Vilsack was still confirmed without Sanders’ support, with 63 senators voting in his favor. A simple majority vote is required in the Senate to confirm presidential cabinet nominees.
