Margaret A. Hamburg Appointed As Institute Of Medicine Foreign Secretary

Margaret A. (Peggy) Hamburg, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been appointed as the next foreign secretary of the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences. In this part-time position, Hamburg will serve as a senior adviser on international matters to the IOM president and council and as liaison to foreign academies of medicine and science. Her term, which begins on April 6 and is effective through June 30, 2019, follows the outstanding service over the past eight and a half years in this role of Jo Ivey Boufford, president of the New York Academy of Medicine. As IOM engagement in matters of health that extend beyond the United States continues to expand, so does the importance of the foreign secretary’s role. Thanks to Boufford’s leadership, the IOM is highly sought after as a partner in international efforts to improve health and advance the role of academies in advising governments on policy issues that impact health. 

Hamburg was appointed commissioner of the FDA in May 2009, the second woman to serve in this position. Her past roles have also included senior scientist at the Nuclear Threat Initiative; assistant secretary for policy and evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 

Hamburg is the daughter of David A. Hamburg, who served as president of the IOM from 1975-1980. Since her election to the IOM membership in 1994, she has actively contributed to the mission of the IOM as chair of the Board on Global Health (2005-2009) and as a member of the IOM Council (2005-2009) and various consensus and convening activities. 

"Global engagement and impact are strategically important for the IOM. I am delighted that Peggy has agreed to take on this important responsibility," said IOM president Victor J. Dzau. "Her experience and interests equip her superbly for the role of foreign secretary, and I look forward to working with her to expand IOM’s global leadership." 

Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public.