It appears that FDA deputy commissioner Joshua Sharfstein's tenure at FDA was fleeting. Government insiders say that Sharfstein is leaving the agency to take the top health post—secretary of health and mental hygiene—for the state of Maryland. 
 
Sharfstein has been at FDA for less than two years, but he hasn't exactly been a pencil-pusher during his stay. He was one of the instrumental forces in a new FDA regime that more aggressively went after companies for regulatory violations and led an investigation into the questionable approval of a ReGen Biologics knee scaffold device, whose approval was later rescinded.
 
Sharfstein seemed to be a good fit for the agency, but perhaps the agency wasn't a good fit for him. Speculation on his replacement has already begun. Who will it be? —Lawrence Lloyd