The U.S. Food and Drug Administration saw its second female commissioner take office in May 2009, beginning a six-year tenure that reshaped regulatory pathways for modern medicine. Margaret Hamburg navigated the federal agency through the implementation of major legislative reforms, including the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act and the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act.
Early Career in Public Health
Born in Chicago in 1955, Hamburg pursued a career in medicine after graduating from Harvard College in 1977 and earning her Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 1983. Following residency training at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, she entered public service in Washington, D.C. She held roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and served as assistant director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under Anthony Fauci from 1989 to 1990.
New York City Health Leadership
In 1991, Hamburg became Commissioner of Health for New York City, serving under mayors David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani. Her six-year tenure focused on combatting tuberculosis outbreaks and managing needle-exchange initiatives to mitigate HIV transmission. She further established the city’s inaugural public health bioterrorism preparedness program, a foundational effort that defined her later work in national security and disease prevention.
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Hamburg served as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 1997 to 2001. Transitioning into the private sector, she acted as the founding Vice President for Biological Programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. In this capacity, she focused on mitigating threats from nuclear and biological weapons. Her expertise led to her participation in bioterrorism simulations, including the 2001 Operation Dark Winter exercise.
Regulatory Tenure and Modernization
Confirmed unanimously as FDA Commissioner in 2009, Hamburg focused on the modernization of regulatory science and the globalization of agency operations. She oversaw a significant increase in drug approvals, including 51 new drugs in 2014 alone. This approach sought to accelerate medical innovation, though it drew scrutiny regarding the balance between speed and safety protocols. She resigned from the commission on March 28, 2015.
Professional Appointments and Awards
Post-FDA, Hamburg continued her leadership in scientific institutions. She was appointed Foreign Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine in 2015 and later served as president-elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her career has been recognized with the 2018 Alma Dea Morani Award and the 2022 Philip Hauge Abelson Prize. She remains active as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Fast facts
- Born: 1955, Chicago
- Education: Harvard College, Harvard Medical School
- Commissioner of Food and Drugs: 2009-2015
- Commissioner of Health of the City of New York: 1991-1997
- Philip Hauge Abelson Prize: 2022
- Alma Dea Morani Award: 2018
- Fields of work: Internal medicine, Epidemiology
Questions readers ask
What major legislation did Hamburg oversee at the FDA?
She implemented the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act and the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act.
What was Hamburg's role at the Nuclear Threat Initiative?
She was the founding Vice President for Biological Programs, where she spearheaded efforts to prevent and respond to biological and chemical weapon threats.
Achievements
- Philip Hauge Abelson Prize — 2022
- Fields: internal medicine
