George Tidmarsh Named as CDER Director

The FDA has appointed George Francis Tidmarsh as the new Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Tidmarsh will succeed Jacqueline Corrigan‑Curay, who has served as acting director since January.

“Dr. Tidmarsh is an accomplished physician-scientist and leader whose experience spans the full arc of drug development—from bench to bedside,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary in a statement. “His appointment to lead CDER brings exceptional scientific, regulatory, and operational expertise to the agency.”

Tidmarsh holds both MD and PhD degrees in cancer biology from Stanford University and completed his residency in pediatrics, as well as subspecialty programs in pediatric oncology and neonatology at the same institution. He previously founded and led multiple biopharmaceutical firms, advancing seven FDA-approved drugs and contributing more than 140 scientific publications and patents.

He also served as founding co-director of Stanford’s Master of Translational Research and Applied Medicine program, which aims to close the gap between laboratory science and patient care. “His commitment to education, mentorship, and translational research continues to shape the next generation of physician-scientists and innovators,” the FDA noted.

Many industry stakeholders have reacted positively to the announcement.

“Alongside our Biosimilars Council, AAM and its members welcome George Francis Tidmarsh, M.D., Ph.D., as the FDA’s newest Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA,” said John Murphy III, President and CEO of the

Association for Accessible Medicines.“ Improving the health of patients through more timely access to lower-cost generic and biosimilar medicines is essential to the livelihood of America. We look forward to a collaborative partnership with Dr. Tidmarsh and the larger team at CDER to prioritize regulatory efficiency and help ensure the medicines that cost less and make up 90 percent of all prescriptions filled in the U.S. are always available for patients.”

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Stephanie Vine

Making great scientific magazines isn’t just about delivering knowledge and high quality content; it’s also about packaging these in the right words to ensure that someone is truly inspired by a topic. My passion is ensuring that our authors’ expertise is presented as a seamless and enjoyable reading experience, whether in print, in digital or on social media. I’ve spent fourteen years writing and editing features for scientific and manufacturing publications, and in making this content engaging and accessible without sacrificing its scientific integrity. There is nothing better than a magazine with great content that feels great to read.

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