FDA office makes leadership changes

Staff is shifting within the Food and Drug Administration office that handles issues related to drug safety.

{mosads}Julie Zawisza, the head of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s (CDER) communications office, will be moving to the FDA’s Office of Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, serving under Dara Corrigan.

She begins her new post on June 1, according to an internal email circulated by CDER’s director, Janet Woodcock.

“In this role, Julie will be involved in collaborative work with European regulatory officials and realize her longstanding desire to work on international issues and international policy,” Woodcock wrote in the email obtained by The Hill.

“We are fortunate that Julie will remain in FDA, where her strategic thinking and communications skills will be put to good use in advancing the Agency’s goals in the international setting,” she added.

Woodcock, who has been with the FDA since 1986, has worked with Zawisza for more than eight years, and says she has “relied on Julie for media and strategic communications advice.”

Meanwhile, John Whyte, who works as the director Professional Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement (PASE) within CDER, will serve as the agency’s communications director until a permanent one is chosen.

“As a practicing physician, he has a keen understanding of the information needs of health care professionals and patients. As a communicator, he brings creativity, sensitivity, and a strong desire to engage with our stakeholders to address challenges through collaboration and joint problem-solving,” Woodcock said.