Pfizer Hires Former Top FDA Official

Pharma giant Pfizer announced Monday that Patrizia Cavazzoni, a former top official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will rejoin the company as Chief Medical Officer.

“Dr. Cavazzoni was most recently Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where she ensured the availability of safe and effective medicines and led the regulatory and policy decisions on prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Under Dr. Cavazzoni’s leadership at CDER, there was significant innovation in drug evaluation and research, with a focus on advancing public health initiatives,” Pfizer stated.

“Before joining CDER, Dr. Cavazzoni held several senior executive positions in the pharmaceutical industry for nearly two decades, including at Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Sanofi. During her prior tenure at Pfizer, Dr. Cavazzoni led clinical sciences and development operations for the company across multiple senior roles,” the company added.

The revolving door continues! From FDA to Chief Medical Officer at Pfizer.

Do anti-corporate leftists really not realize they got played? pic.twitter.com/Qrx5tmnMih

— An0maly (@LegendaryEnergy) February 25, 2025

Per BioPharma Dive:

Cavazzoni led the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research from 2021 until her departure in mid-January. She was one of several top officials, including the agency’s second-in-command, to leave ahead of the Trump administration taking office.

At Pfizer, she will lead the drugmaker’s regulatory, pharmacovigilance, safety, epidemiology, and medical information and evidence generation. She’ll report to Chris Boshoff, the company’s recently promoted head of R&D and top scientist. Aida Habtezion, Pfizer’s chief medical officer since 2021, is departing to “pursue other opportunities,” the company said.

Cavazzoni’s appointment could resurface criticism leveled at the FDA for a “revolving door” between the agency and the companies it regulates. Past FDA Commissioners Robert Califf, Scott Gottlieb and Stephen Hahn have all taken roles in industry after their time leading the FDA. Gottlieb joined Pfizer’s board of directors, a position he still holds.

The issue could receive sharper scrutiny as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., newly sworn in as the U.S. health secretary, has made rooting out “conflicts of interest” at agencies like the FDA a top priority. (There are rules, including “cooling-off” periods, governing how former FDA employees can interact with the agency if they go on to work in industry.)

Patrizia Cavazzoni is the former director of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and now she will be the Chief Medical Officer of Pfizer. This should be illegal.

None of the 70,000 Adverse Events of Puberty Blocking Drugs Were a… pic.twitter.com/iOaB0sCDo8

— Robert W Malone, MD (@RWMaloneMD) February 25, 2025

RFK Jr. can’t get to work fast enough….Revolving doors are still spinning

“Patrizia Cavazzoni, formerly the top regulator of the drug division of the Food and Drug Administration, will join Pfizer as chief medical officer, a role in which she will lead the drug firm’s… pic.twitter.com/Ej9hFlN7tG

— JaxenReport (@JaxenReport) February 24, 2025

From The Hill:

The announcement spurred renewed criticisms about the common “revolving door” between the FDA and industry. Critics worry the close relationship leads to a quid pro quo and favoritism toward industry.

Robert Califf, who served as FDA commissioner under President Obama, left the agency to advise Google Health and its spinoff, Verily Life Sciences. The move garnered criticism and opposition from some Senate Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) when President Biden nominated him for the same job.

ADVERTISEMENT

Califf eventually made ethics concessions to Warren to secure her vote, including a pledge not to seek employment or compensation from any drug or medical device companies he interacted with as commissioner for four years after he stepped down.