Four senior roles at the FDA were converted from acting appointments to permanent positions this week, the administration announced in a departmental release. The move follows the recent nomination of Heidi Overton to lead the agency and formalizes leadership for several of the FDA’s principal review centers in a decision published by HHS.
The three officials already serving in interim roles will now hold the jobs on a permanent basis: Michael Davis, a psychiatrist, will direct the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research; Karim Mikhail, previously with Merck, will lead the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; and Bret Koplow, an attorney who has worked at the agency since 2011, becomes director of the Center for Tobacco Products. Each office is responsible for core regulatory decisions affecting product reviews and post-market oversight.
Jared Seehafer was named the FDA’s first deputy commissioner for technology and artificial intelligence. His professional history includes founding a life-science software company and work in biotechnology investment advising; he joined the agency as an adviser in 2025, a background he lists on his LinkedIn profile. The designation formally embeds a technology-focused deputy role at the agency as leadership emphasizes digital tools and algorithmic approaches to speed reviews and manage data pipelines, a direction outlined in the agency’s recent AI and data consolidation initiatives announcement.
By ratifying these appointments, the administration is providing continuity for centers that handle medicines, vaccines and product categories with major public-health implications, including the evaluation of new vaccines and biologic therapies. The permanent placements clarify managerial responsibility for regulatory priorities already underway at the FDA and may affect timelines and procedural practices for industry and stakeholders engaging with the agency’s review programs. Officials framed the changes as part of a broader modernization effort to align leadership with evolving policy and technological needs.
