Sarah
Ibrahim
B. Pharm, Ph.D.
Leadership Role
Acting
Deputy Director for Regulatory Programs - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research | CDER
Sarah Ibrahim, B. Pharm., Ph.D., is the Acting Deputy Center Director for Regulatory Programs of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). In this role, Dr. Ibrahim serves on CDER’s senior leadership team and supports the Center Director by providing executive leadership on strategic initiatives that advance CDER’s mission to deliver safe, effective, and high‑quality medications.
Dr. Ibrahim earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Biopharmaceutics/Pharmaceutics) from the University of Cincinnati and a B.S. in Pharmacy (Honors) from Cairo University. Prior to joining FDA, she held roles in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry focused on pharmaceutical development and a faculty in academia.
A member of CDER since 2014, Dr. Ibrahim brings extensive scientific review experience that spans both new drug and generic drug programs, including biopharmaceutics and risk‑based CMC assessments, cross‑disciplinary labeling recommendations, and support for inspections of FDA‑regulated facilities. Her work bridges CDER offices responsible for new drugs and for generic drugs, strengthening consistency and science‑based decision‑making across the development lifecycle.
In CDER’s Office of Generic Drugs (OGD), Dr. Ibrahim later served in senior leadership roles overseeing stakeholder, patient, and international engagement for the generic drug program. She established the Generic Drug Cluster, coordinated parallel scientific advice with international partners, and advanced information‑sharing with Health Canada and others under FDA confidentiality commitments; supporting regulatory convergence and efficient, science‑based reviews. She also sponsored digital modernization efforts for review infrastructure and collaborated across CDER.
In January 2026, Dr. Ibrahim began serving in her current role as Acting Deputy Center Director for Regulatory Programs, where she provides Center‑wide leadership on regulatory policy and governance, cross‑office integration, external engagement, and modernization initiatives that support timely, science‑based decision‑making.