The Senate will have a procedural vote Monday on the White House nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, although three Democratic senators still have a hold on the nomination because of concerns about the agency's handling of prescription drug prices and the opioid abuse epidemic.
Cardiologist Dr. Robert Califf, now the agency's deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco, was approved unanimously last month by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. He has faced criticism for forming ties with the pharmaceutical industry as director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has said he would not vote to approve Califf because he does not have a strong enough plan for curbing growing prescription drug prices. That has been a key issue for Sanders as he campaigns to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
In January, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) placed a hold on the nomination because he does not think the FDA has a strong enough plan for combating the nation's opioid crisis.
The FDA took steps to address these issues this month when it announced a new approach to opioids, including consulting with advisory panels before approving some prescription painkillers and providing medication-assisted treatment to patients with addiction issues. Markey and fellow Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said then they would continue their holds because the plan was still not enough.
