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Acting FDA commissioner Joshua Sharfstein has made his presence felt during his few months in office. His latest move is to ban the use of gift cards and other informal bonuses to FDA employees. Last year, about 15% of FDA employees received gift cards. But after a report surfaced that the agency had a $41,030 contract with a company to supply gift cards, Sharfstein thought it would be wiser to hold off on them. CDRH had made arrangements to buy 160 cards at a rate of $250 per card.

“My perspective is, we’re the new team coming in. We are responsible for how the agency money is being spent,” Sharfstein said. “It’s really important that we’re comfortable” with such incentives.

During this period of intense FDA scrutiny from all sides, it’s probably not a bad move.

Margaret Hamburg will be sworn in as FDA commissioner later this week. She was confirmed by the Senate on Monday and will likely join the action—including how and whether to develop a swine flu vaccine—next week. As expected, acting commissioner Joshua Sharfstein will be deputy commissioner.