Senate approves new FDA chief

The Senate voted 80 to 11 to confirm Andrew C. von Eschenbach to head the Food and Drug Administration, but only after breaking a filibuster in which he was accused of impeding congressional investigations.

Von Eschenbach, a former head of the National Cancer Institute, has been acting head of the FDA for more than year.

His predecessor, Lester M. Crawford, pleaded guilty in October to conflict of interest and false reporting of information about stocks he owned in food, beverage and medical device companies he was in charge of regulating.