Robert M. Califf, M.D., the newly appointed FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, received the 2016 American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ (AACE) Eugene T. Davidson, M.D., Public Service Award.

The AACE Eugene T. Davidson, M.D., Public Service Award is presented to a health professional, organization or individual layperson for outstanding contributions to advancing the mission of AACE in providing quality health care for patients with endocrine diseases and for the betterment of public health.

As the top FDA official, Dr. Califf is responsible for strengthening programs and policies that enable the agency to carry out its mission to protect and promote public health.

“It’s an honor to receive the Frontiers in Science Award from AACE,” said Dr. Califf. “After a career of caring for patients with cardiovascular and metabolic disease and multiple opportunities to conduct clinical trials and health services research in patients with diabetes, I am keenly aware of the suffering caused by diabetes and the need to both develop new therapies and understand how to deploy older therapies. We take this very seriously at FDA.”

Previously, Dr. Califf served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco from February 2015 until his appointment as commissioner in February 2016. In that capacity, he provided executive leadership to the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, and the Center for Tobacco Products. He also oversaw the Office of Special Medical Programs and provided direction for cross-cutting clinical, scientific, and regulatory initiatives, including precision medicine, combination products, orphan drugs, pediatric therapeutics, and the advisory committee system.

A nationally and internationally recognized expert in cardiovascular medicine, health outcomes research, healthcare quality, and clinical research, Dr. Califf has led many landmark clinical trials and is a frequently cited author in biomedical science, with more than 1,200 publications in peer-reviewed literature.