FDA nominee faces Senate hearing as states weigh new drug-pricing initiative

Heidi Overton, the Trump administration’s nominee to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is scheduled to appear before a Senate committee, where she intends to stress the need for a faster, more efficient regulatory process to keep pace with China’s growing biotech industry. At 37, Overton would set a record as the youngest FDA commissioner if the Senate confirms her. In parallel, the administration has promoted a federal drug-pricing initiative known as the GENEROUS model, claiming all states have signed on. However, officials in several states report they are still deciding on participation, and the specific financial terms of the program remain undisclosed.