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President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will face his confirmation hearing next week, Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) announced Tuesday. Alex Azar, a former HHS official and pharmaceutical executive, will go before the Finance Committee 10 a.m. Jan. 9. (Hellmann, 1/2)

If it feels like you’ve been hearing from the head of the Food and Drug Administration a lot lately, you’re not imagining it. It’s a rare day here at STAT when we don’t receive in our inboxes a “Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.” — or at least find him prominently quoted in another new FDA press release. Then there are all his blog posts. His speeches. His congressional testimony. And, of course, his tweets. (Robbins, 1/3)