Activities

Permanent Appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Shuren as Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH)

Dr. Shuren was appointed Acting Director of CDRH in September 2009. On January 20, 2010, in an FDA-wide memorandum, Commissioner Hamburg welcomed Dr. Shuren as the permanent Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health. (See below for full text of memorandum)

In addition to Dr. Shuren's professional credentials that are highlighted in Dr. Hamburg's memorandum, it is interesting to note that he has served in a leadership role at FDA, or on behalf of the Agency, on a number of initiatives, including:

  • reauthorization of the Medical Device User Fee Act, which dramatically shortens review times for device applications
  • creation of the Sentinel Initiative, which works toward a national electronic system for monitoring medical product safety
  • development of FDA's Counterfeit Drug Task Force Report
  • implementation of FDA provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act

 

 

From: A Message from the Commissioner
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 11:17 AM
To: FDA-Wide
Subject: Appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Shuren

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Shuren as the director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

In his five months as acting director of CDRH, Dr. Shuren has not wasted any time in getting to work. He has begun a comprehensive review of many programs and processes and set in motion a strategic planning process. He has prioritized the support of innovation in medical devices, the modernizing of device safety efforts, and the strengthening of important internal procedures.

Dr. Shuren has also shared with me his appreciation for the dedication of Center staff at all levels. He sees supporting the people of CDRH as a key step on the path of promoting the public's health.

Prior to stepping into the role of Acting Director of CDRH in September 2009, Dr. Shuren has served in a variety of policy and planning positions at FDA since 1998. These have included Acting Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning and Budget, Special Counsel to the Principal Deputy Commissioner, and Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning.

Dr. Shuren received his B.S. and M.D. degrees from Northwestern University under its Honors Program in Medical Education. He received his J.D. from the University of Michigan. He is a board-certified neurologist with subspecialty training in behavioral neurology and neuropsychology. Dr. Shuren previously served on the faculty of the Department of Neurology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and as a staff volunteer at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke where he designed and supervised clinical studies on human reasoning.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Shuren to his new position.

Sincerely,

Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
Commissioner of Food and Drugs