Immediately following the election, the Wall Street Journal made a series of predictions about major health positions in the upcoming Obama administration. Speculations whispered included former Senator Tom Daschle as HHS Secretary or top health care advisor to the President, and Steve Nissen, leading Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, as FDA Commissioner. Janet Woodcock, the current head of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, and Mike Taylor, former Deputy FDA Commissioner under President Clinton, have also been mentioned as possibilities for the FDA's head post.
Throughout President-elect Obama's campaign, he and his health policy advisors discussed the creation of a new Comparative Effectiveness Institute which would be housed under HHS' Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality. The Institute would be responsible for researching the effectiveness of all health care procedures and services in order to recognize the best ways to prevent, diagnose and treat health conditions. For this new office, as well as for lead positions at CMS and NIH, National Journal's Health Care Experts blog recommends that President-elect Obama choose physicians with heavy management and research experience and the will to make the U.S. health care system #1 in the world by the year 2020.
Spectrum's Public Affairs is pleased to share Election Round Up '08, a straightforward and informative recap of Election Day results. A unique, health care-only resource, our report highlights the key factors that drove voters' decisions, includes a summary of President-elect Obama's health care priorities and provides a snapshot of the committees worth watching in the 111th Congress. In the coming weeks, our team looks forward to hearing your feedback about Round Up '08 and keeping you updated as heath care decisions are floated and announcements are made for Administration and Congressional committee posts.
-Katharine Perrow, Director, Spectrum Science Public Affairs
