Gary Brecka

I probably read some of your work because, you know, we know frailty is one of the greatest risks to aging.

It's one of the greatest predictors of mortality.

That's right.

But what was it for you that made you say, I'm willing to take on this level of responsibility?

Because, you know, in some ways it's kind of thankless work.

It can't be a part of your get rich quick scheme either.

Right.

Yeah.

Well, I think you have to have a sense of mission that you want to address a broken system.

And I've been at the bedside for a long time, 23 years on faculty at Johns Hopkins.

I've had a great run in academic medicine.

But when you break bad news and you want there to be something available, or you want to have prevented the tragedy that you're watching unfold, it gives you a deep sense of purpose.

And at the FDA, it is all about treatments and prevention and health and the food.

People forget that the F stands for food.

It doesn't stand for the word federal.

A lot of people think it stands for federal.

There was an FDA employee that thought it stood for federal.

They didn't read their paycheck.

But I mean, for the most part, there are amazing people that work there, amazing scientists, over 16,000 remarkable employees at the FDA.

That is incredible.