New HHS Chief Alex Azar Supports LDT Regulation, Cost-Saving Bundles

Alex Azar was confirmed as the next secretary of Health and Human Services with strong industry support. Azar comes to the role with some homework to do on key FDA medtech policies, but has expressed support for risk-based regulation of lab-developed tests and cost-saving bundled-payment models.

Alex Azar, Trump’s HHS secretary nominee, who spoke at the Senate HELP committee 11/29/17
Alex Azar was approved by the Senate to be HHS Secretary Jan. 24 • Source: Ferdous Al Faruque

The device industry gave its warm support Jan. 24 to the incoming US secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, who was confirmed by the Senate Jan. 24 in a 55-43 vote.

Azar is a former drug industry executive at Eli Lilly & Co., and a former HHS official during the...

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