Dr. Robert Califf is the new FDA commissioner appointed by the Senate, garnering a total of 89 out of 93 votes. In an article from the Wall Street Journal, Califf reveals that his first priority would be to utilize databases and electronic medal records as early warning systems to identify any "safety lapses of drugs and medical devices".

Califf believes that the data gathered from such database would help the agency generate information about the quality of such devices. He stated, "The idea is that the agency could more actively discern such problems, as opposed to more passively waiting for reports." In addition, he said that performance of medical devices can be derived from analysing company registries.

Another goal he had in mind for the agency was to assign identification numbers to medical devices. The purpose of this effort would enable the FDA to pinpoint device issues and remedy them much faster. This idea has long been lobbied by the agency but has been a setback because such a measure is costly to the industry.

U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services released a statement regarding Califf's appointment. She said, "Dr. Califf is the right person with the right experience to build on the FDA's unsurpassed record of protecting public health while encouraging innovation and introduction of new life-saving therapies to the market."

According to a report from Food Safety News, Califf doesn't have that much experience in food safety, which he makes up for through his experience as a cardiologist and former researcher. One of his research studies was funded by the Eli Lily and Merck. He officially joined the FDA on March 2015 as deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco. Califf was preceded by Margaret Hamburg, who left the position around the same time he joined the agency.