Dr. Richard Pazdur has been with the FDA for 26 years and was founding director of its Oncology Center of Excellence. Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File

The US Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that Dr. Richard Pazdur has been named head of its largest division, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, which oversees the safety and regulation of most prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines.

The center is also responsible for regulating products like antiperspirants, sunscreens and fluoride toothpaste, as well as making recommendations to update drug labeling.

Pazdur came to the FDA in 1999 as the leader of the Division of Oncology Drug Products. In 2017, he became founding director of the Oncology Center of Excellence , a part of the agency created to

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