CBD News Blog – Choosing a new head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be a top priority for President-elect Joe Biden as the nation continues to wrestle with a pandemic with no end in sight.

That’s a change from previous administrations, where the FDA chief was not the first priority, Kaiser Health News reports. Some 4,000 positions are appointed by the executive branch, making transitions a hectic time.

“It is a difficult period because you’re going to have a lot of folks who need to get into place,” said Max Stier, CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, which advises presidential candidates and their teams installing new administrations. “The track record has not been good on getting people in quickly.”