FDA’s Makary selects biotech veteran Tidmarsh as top drug regulator

The Food and Drug Administration commissioner Marty Makary has selected former biotech executive George Tidmarsh to lead the agency’s top drug regulatory division, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday.

The appointment of Tidmarsh, a 65-year-old pediatrician affiliated with Stanford University, as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) could be announced as early as Monday, said the source who requested anonymity because the decision has not yet been made public.

In his new role, Tidmarsh will manage one of the FDA’s largest and most critical divisions, overseeing approximately 5,700 staff members responsible for reviewing the majority of novel drug applications. He will replace Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, who recently announced her departure from the agency as acting head of CDER.

Tidmarsh brings significant industry experience, having contributed to the development of several approved medications during his career in biotechnology. His background may provide reassurance to pharmaceutical companies facing increasing pressure from the Trump administration to reduce drug prices and relocate manufacturing operations to the United States.