FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine names new director

Tracey Forfa, JD, has been named the new director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The announcement follows “a robust recruitment and interview process,” according to Robert M. Califf, MD, MACC, the FDA’s commissioner of food and drugs.¹

A 30-year veteran of the agency, Forfa is the first nonveterinarian to hold the CVM directorship. However, as recently determined by Commissioner Califf, when the center director is not a veterinarian, the agency soon will name a chief veterinary officer to advise on a wide variety of veterinary issues.¹

“I know she will continue to apply the center’s guiding principles: protecting public health; regulating based on the best evidence and science; leveraging and collaboration; operating transparently; continuous quality improvement; and strong stakeholder engagement,” said Califf, in an agency news release.¹

The commissioner’s announcement elicited congratulations from the national nonprofit Pet Food Institute (PFI). “[Forfa’s] long career at FDA and with CVM provides her the experience that she needs to support and lead science-based regulations to ensure safe food and drugs for America’s pets. We are excited to continue our engagement and collaboration with Ms. Forfa,” said Dana Brooks, CEO of PFI, in an organizational statement.²

Forfa has been acting in the position since December 2022, when previous director Steven M. Solomon, DVM, MPH, retired from federal service. She has been with CVM since 2002 and was appointed the deputy center director in 2008. She also served as acting director of the center in 2016,¹ and was the acting ombudsman for CVM, from 2019 to 2022.³

The new CVM director joined the FDA in 1993. She was initially a staff member in the agency’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, working with regulations and policy on issues such as human tissue and blood banking, and later joined the FDA’s Office of the Chief Mediator and Ombudsman, addressing product jurisdiction and external dispute resolution.³

References

1. Tracey Forfa announced as new director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. News release. FDA. February 17, 2023. Accessed February 20, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/tracey-forfa-announced-new-director-fdas-center-veterinary-medicine
2. PFI congratulates Tracey Forfa as new FDA CVM directors. News statement. Pet Food Institute. February 17, 2023. Accessed February 20, 2023. https://www.petfoodinstitute.org/newsroom/pfi-congratulates-tracey-forfa-new-fda-cvm-director/
3. FDA organization: Tracey H. Forfa JD. FDA. February 17, 2023. Accessed February 20, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/tracey-forfa