Office of the Counselor to the Commissioner

Major Functions:

• Formulates and renders advice to the Commissioner related to policy development, interpretation and integration that cuts across program lines or which is not well defined.
• Provides a leadership role in advocating for and advancing the Commissioner's priorities.
• Reviews recommendations for actions and reviews other materials to ensure that all points of view and program interests are developed for consideration and fully analyzed.
• Provides top level leadership for the development and management of emergency and crisis management policies and programs for FDA to ensure that a structure exists for FDA to respond rapidly to an emergency or crisis situation involving an FDA-regulated product or in which FDA-regulated products need to be utilized or deployed.
• Provides strategic oversight of FDA’s participation in internal and external counter-terrorism and emergency exercises.
• Oversees the coordination of the agency’s evaluation of emergency and crisis situations to determine appropriate internal and external referrals for further action.

Meet John M Taylor III, J.D., Counselor to the Commissioner