The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday named Michelle Tarver as the permanent director of the agency’s device center, first reported by Stat and confirmed by MedTech Dive.

Tarver was appointed as acting director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health in July, when longtime leader Jeff Shuren stepped down. 

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf emphasized Tarver’s “passion about data, science, medicine, and the evidence” and work to build collaboration and transparency at the agency, in an email to staff announcing the new director’s appointment viewed by MedTech Dive. 

“As someone who has served the FDA for more than 15 years, I am immensely proud of the work we have accomplished together, always keeping the people we serve at the core of our mission,” Tarver wrote in an emailed statement.

Tarver is an ophthalmologist with a doctorate in epidemiology, and continues to care for people with inflammatory eye conditions. In the past, Tarver was CDRH’s chief transformation officer, helping develop and direct strategic initiatives for the agency. Tarver also helped start the agency’s first patient engagement advisory committee. 

“Under her leadership, CDRH launched numerous efforts to amplify the perspectives of people living with medical conditions, foster collaboration across the health care ecosystem, and stimulate creative evidence generation pathways,” Califf wrote. 

In comments at The Medtech Conference last week, Tarver emphasized the importance of listening to patients. Shuren also expressed confidence in Tarver’s leadership at the meeting — although a permanent director had not yet been named — adding that “the best is yet to come.”

Medtech trade group Advamed praised Tarver’s appointment, with CEO Scott Whitaker adding that between the new director’s experience as an ophthalmologist, epidemiologist and medical device regulator, “Dr. Tarver has made clear she understands the value of medical technology and the important role innovation plays in our health care system.”