David Blumenthal
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David Blumenthal
"Progressive" Cabinet "nominee"
In September 2008, Chicago based socialist journal In These Times asked its editors and writers to suggest their top progressive choices for a potential Obama Cabinet.[1]
- We asked that contributors weigh ideological and political considerations, with an eye toward recommending people who have both progressive credentials and at least an arguable chance at being appointed in an Obama White House.
- This group of people would represent at once the most progressive, aggressive and practical Cabinet in contemporary history. Of course, it is by no means a definitive list. It is merely one proposal aimed at starting a longer discussion about the very concept of a progressive Cabinet—and why it will be important to a new administration, especially if that administration is serious about change.
Raman Castellblanch suggested David Blumenthal for FDA Commissioner:
- For Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner, the pick should be Dr. David Blumenthal, director of the Institute of Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School.
- One of the top issues the next commissioner will face is regulating the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries.
- Under the Bush administration, FDA scientists have been beset with low morale and widespread concern that they cannot do their jobs without risk of inappropriate political interference.
- This decade, Blumenthal has shown independence from the pharmaceutical industry. He is a critic of detailing, drug-makers’ use of salespeople to pressure physicians to prescribe their most expensive medicines. He supports government use of drug formularies, which is an effective way of negotiating lower drug prices and protecting access to needed medicines. Blumenthal also advocates for comparative effectiveness research — an approach to studying the safety and efficacy of medicines that could save many lives.
- Blumenthal was the founding chairman of AcademyHealth, the national organization of health services researchers. From 1995 to 2002, he served as executive director for the Task Force on Academic Health Centers at the Commonwealth Fund — a foundation whose goal is to improve healthcare quality for low-income people, the uninsured, young children, people of color and the elderly.