President Bush appointed von Eschenbach following the surprise resignation of Commissioner Lester Crawford Friday.
According to von Eschenbach, who is a urologic surgeon by training, recent research will lead to a new kind of health care.
He tells The Associated Press
He adds that these understandings allow physicians to devise treatments more effectively matched to a specific patient and his or her condition - a major change from treating illnesses based primarily on how well other people have responded to a given treatment.
Von Eschenbach will remain head of the National Cancer Institute while running the FDA. He gave no indication on whether he expects to be nominated as permanent chief of the FDA.
Commissioner Lester Crawford's resignation came only two months after the Senate confirmed him for the position. Crawford had functioned as acting head for more than year.
