The FDA has named George Tidmarsh, a Stanford-trained oncologist and experienced biopharma CEO, as the director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Tidmarsh brings extensive expertise from his prior leadership roles at Horizon Pharma and La Jolla Pharmaceutical, overseeing drug development across oncology and pediatrics. His appointment comes amid ongoing regulatory challenges within CDER, including heightened scrutiny of gene therapies and accelerated drug approvals. Commissioner Marty Makary highlighted Tidmarsh’s broad scientific and operational experience as pivotal to stabilizing the agency’s drug review processes.