ASTRO statement on consideration of Stephen Hahn for Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration

ARLINGTON, Va., September 6, 2019 — Based on news reports indicating that radiation oncologist Stephen Hahn, MD, FASTRO, Chief Medical Executive of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is being considered for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued the following statement from Paul Harari, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors:

“Steve Hahn is a remarkably talented physician and cancer specialist. He is trained in radiation oncology and medical oncology, and he has broad experience as a clinician, researcher, educator and administrative leader. He is exceptionally versatile in his understanding of medicine and public health and would bring enormous energy and creativity if nominated to the role of FDA Commissioner.

ASTRO believes that Dr. Hahn would be an excellent and inspired choice for Commissioner. In addition to his executive roles at leading cancer centers across the country, Dr. Hahn previously served on the ASTRO Board of Directors, spearheading educational initiatives such as the creation of a leadership development program focused on diversity and steering the selection of top science for ASTRO’s Annual Meeting, the leading meeting dedicated to radiation oncology and patient care.

A culture of safety is woven into the fabric of radiation oncology, making Dr. Hahn expertly suited to further FDA’s mission of protecting the public health. At the same time, Dr. Hahn’s experience using some of the most sophisticated medical devices in health care gives him insight and expertise to drive progress for the benefit of patients and consumers. The FDA has enjoyed strong leadership in recent years, and ASTRO would strongly support the nomination of Dr. Hahn to further the FDA’s critical mission of safety and innovation.”

ABOUT ASTRO

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world’s largest radiation oncology society, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. The Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Practical Radiation Oncology and Advances in Radiation Oncology; developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers; and created the nonprofit foundation Radiation Oncology Institute. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website, sign up to receive our news and follow us on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

scraped from https://www.newswise.com/articles/astro-statement-on-consideration-of-stephen-hahn-for-commissioner-of-the-us-food-and-drug-administration