FDA Announces New Orphan Drugs Director

Earlier today, FDA announced that Tim Coté, M.D., M.P.H., a Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, has accepted the position of Director of the Agency’s Office of Orphan Products Development (“OOPD”).  Dr. Coté is only the fourth OOPD Director since the office was created in the 1980s after the passage of the Orphan Drug Act.  He replaces Dr. Marlene Haffner, who held the position for many years and retired from public service earlier this year.  Dr. Coté plans to join FDA around September 1, 2007, and comes to the Agency from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he was the Country Director for Rwanda.  In that position, Dr. Coté  managed a staff of U.S. government direct hires, contractual employees, and locally employed staff and a budget of about $119 million directing programs in HIV/AIDS, malaria, and avian influenza.