Questions about abortion, opioid crisis pose challenges for Biden's FDA nominee

The Biden administration is facing an uphill battle to get enough votes to confirm it nominee, Dr. Robert Califf, to run the Food and Drug Administration.

Califf was chosen to lead the agency during the final year of the Obama administration, during which he was confirmed by a heavily bipartisan Senate vote of 89-4. 

The Duke University cardiologist and researcher was not meant to be a controversial pick to run the agency that has now been without a permanent leader for more than a year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

But at least five Democrats have now publicly spoken out against him because of his longtime ties to the pharmaceutical industry and the agency's role in the ongoing opioid crisis. And a number of Republican lawmakers oppose his confirmation because of his Obama-era work on the abortion drug mifepristone. 

Since leaving the Obama administration, Califf as been an adviser for Google Health and its subsidiary Verily Life Sciences, for which he was given millions in stock options, in addition to more than $2.7 million in salary and bonuses.

Califf recently cleared a vote in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, during which he received the support of four Republican senators – Richard Burr of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah.

Other Senate Republicans speak well of Califf, but are unsure the candidate will be able to survive the nomination process.

"I'll make a final decision then," said retiring Missouri GOP Sen. Roy Blunt, referring to the possibility of Califf's nomination coming to the floor. "I like him as a person, I think he can do the job, and let’s see what else develops between now and the vote," he told the New York Times.

The White House is making bipartisan calls to senators attempting to ensure their nominee can get 50 votes in the final, floor vote. According to one White House official, Califf has meet with 33 senators so far, and is expected to meet with at least another 14.

Another slight complicating factor for the administration is the absence of New Mexico Democratic Sen. Ben Luján, who recently suffered a stroke and will not return to work for at least another four to six weeks.

In a statement, the White House said, "We are working hard and [the Department of Health and Human Services] is working hard every day to get Dr. Califf nominated. We believe it is extremely important to have a confirmed head of the FDA in the midst of the pandemic."

At present, a date has not yet been set for his confirmation vote before the full Senate.