Indian American Gayatri Rao Among Potential Candidates Shortlisted to Lead the FDA
- Previously director of the Office of Orphan Products Development, she currently works as executive at Rocket Pharmaceuticals.
Indian American Gayatri Rao is among potential candidates considered by President Joe Biden as commissioner to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Rao, who is currently an executive at Rocket Pharmaceuticals, previously worked for the FDA as director of the Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD).
She is the latest addition in the expanded short list of candidates to lead the FDA which includes several women of color, reported the Wall Street Journal, quoting people familiar with the situation. “The White House has also been under pressure to name more Asian-Americans to high-ranking posts following a recent series of attacks on that population,” the Journal added.
It was earlier speculated that Biden would announce his FDA nominee once his pick for Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra, was confirmed. But that was a month ago.
During her previous capacity at the FDA, she was responsible for implementing statutory programs focused on promoting the development of medical products for rare diseases.
As per the Journal, “the fact that Mr. Biden hasn’t named an FDA commissioner yet—in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic—could possibly indicate that he was prepared to name Dr. Woodcock on or after April 20.” Jane Dr. Woodcock was named acting FDA commissioner when Biden took office on Jan. 20. “Under a federal law governing administration vacancies, someone who has served as acting commissioner can’t be nominated for the permanent job until 90 days after an administration commences,” noted the Journal report.
Rao has had a long career in global regulatory policies. As vice president, Regulatory Policy and Patient Advocacy at Rocket Pharmaceuticals. Rao provides critical direction to global regulatory policies and strategies for the company to bring multiple therapies to patients with rare and devastating diseases.
During her previous capacity at the FDA, she was responsible for implementing statutory programs focused on promoting the development of medical products for rare diseases. As director, she served as the FDA’s rare disease lead for interactions with Congress, international regulatory counterparts, other federal agencies, press, sponsors, and patient advocacy groups.
Prior to that Rao was an Associate Chief Counsel in FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel where she advised on a variety of issues related to clinical trials, medical devices, and combination products. She began her career at an international law firm in Washington, D.C., where she focused on healthcare and food and drug law related matters.
She holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, a Master of Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and an M.D. from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.