By Advocate.com Editors

Originally published on Advocate.com October 19 2002 12:00 AM ET

The U.S. Senate in a voice vote on Thursday unanimously confirmed Mark McClellan as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, a position that has been vacant since President Bush took office in January 2001. McClellan, who has a doctorate in medical economics, previously served the Bush administration as a White House health policy adviser and as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers. McClellan practiced as a physician at Stanford University, where he also taught health care economics, before joining the Administration.