HHS Plans New FDA Roles for Technology and Drugs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to establish two new deputy commissioner positions at the Food and Drug Administration, targeting technology and drug oversight, according to reporting by CNBC on August 25, 2026.

Under the proposed structure, one deputy commissioner will focus on technology and the integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare, while the second role will oversee drug evaluation. Both officials will report directly to Heidi Overton, President Donald Trump's nominee for FDA commissioner, who is currently awaiting Senate confirmation.

Jared Seehafer, a senior advisor to the FDA and former chief executive officer of life sciences compliance software company Enzyme, is currently the leading candidate for the technology role. The new position will oversee both the internal deployment of AI tools within the agency and the regulatory evaluation of AI-enabled medical devices.

The agency recently issued a discussion paper soliciting public feedback from clinicians, patients, and developers regarding regulatory frameworks for generative AI medical devices. Internally, the FDA already utilizes generative AI tools like Elsa to assist personnel with document summarization and drafting tasks.

The proposed leadership restructuring follows a period of heightened scrutiny for the agency, including challenges managing a multistate cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce amid federal staff and budget cuts. Recent regulatory decisions involving accelerated drug approvals have also drawn significant industry attention.