TEANECK — A Fairleigh Dickinson University official who wrote a book critical of the Food and Drug Administration is one of President Donald Trump’s top choices to lead the federal agency, reports say. 

Joseph Gulfo, executive director of Fairleigh Dickinson’s Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is one of the names being vetted for the FDA commissioner job, according to the political website The Hill and several pharmaceutical industry publications. 

Gulfo did not respond to requests to comment on the reports. 

However, last week the Bergen County native used his Twitter page to retweet stories about his name being floated for the job. Fairleigh Dickinson officials also posted links to a story about the possibility of Gulfo being named FDA commissioner on the school’s official social media accounts and website.

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Other possible candidates for the job include Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA deputy director currently working on Trump’s transition team, and Jim O’Neill, managing director at Mithril Capital Management and a frequent critic of the FDA, the reports said. 

FDU’s @josephgulfo is on President Trump’s short list to head the FDA https://t.co/NRF1iM1S07 pic.twitter.com/3zb6bkeUru

— Fairleigh Dickinson (@FDUWhatsNew) January 25, 2017

Gulfo, a former biotech executive and entrepreneur, has written frequently about how to reform the FDA, the Maryland-based federal agency that oversees food safety and the approval of drugs. Last month, he wrote an article offering Trump advice on picking a new FDA chief. 

“If he truly wants to reform the FDA to put greater focus on the need of patients for new and innovative medical products, his new commissioner absolutely must be a strong leader who can reverse the culture of fear and inertia that has hamstrung the delivery of innovative medical products to patients,” Gulfo wrote. 

Gulfo, 53, grew up in Haworth and earned his medical degree from New Jersey Medical School at the former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now part of Rutgers University). He also holds a master’s in business administration from Seton Hall University, according to his bio. 

Before his appointment at Fairleigh Dickinson in 2015, he spent more than 25 years in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. He wrote a book, titled “Innovation Breakdown: How the FDA and Wall Street Cripple Medical Advances,” after his own battles with the agency as his company tried to get a medical device approved.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.  

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