Ex-Lilly Executive Confirmed as US Health Secretary

By vote of 55 to 43, former Eli Lilly executive Alex Azar was confirmed by the US Senate as new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Jan. 24.

Azar formerly headed pharmaceutical giant Lilly’s US operations, but also has experience at HHS, where he served as general counsel from 2001 to 2005 and later as deputy secretary.

As secretary, Azar replaces Tom Price, former US representative from Georgia’s sixth congressional district. Price was forced to step down last year after it emerged that he had spent government funds on personal travel.

In his new job, the former pharma manager will be responsible for overseeing $1.13 trillion in department spending and supervising research and administering health programs.