ARTICLE | Politics, Policy & Law
Overton vows speed, deference to staff reviews, if confirmed to lead FDA
The commissioner nominee faced sharp questions about vaccines, abortion drugs, and her willingness to defend the agency’s independence
September 24, 2026 11:31 PM UTC
Speeding reviews to get drugs to American patients faster, and to blunt competition from China, will be among her top priorities if she is confirmed as FDA commissioner, Heidi Overton said at her confirmation hearing Thursday. She described the agency’s “core missions” as “advancing national security, increasing access to affordable treatments, and promoting public health.”
Overton vowed to pursue reforms aimed at shortening timelines for early-stage trials and reducing barriers to approving drugs for very rare diseases...
BCIQ Company Profiles