Dr. Robert Califf, who has documented ties to the pharmaceutical industry, has been nominated to head the agency. We must oppose it. Action Alert! The Biden administration is currently vetting former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD to once again head the agency. He first became FDA Commissioner in 2016 and was in the role for about one year before he stepped down in 2017. Dr. Califf’s proven ties to Big Pharma make him an unacceptable choice to head an agency that regulates a quarter of every dollar spent in the United States. Read more.