A Presidential Conversation with Marty Makary, MD, MPH
The Future of Plastic Surgery Innovation: Lessons from Inside the FDA

Join ASPS President C. Bob Basu, MD, MPH, MBA, FACS, for a timely conversation with Marty Makary, MD, MPH, former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Future of Plastic Surgery Innovation: Lessons from Inside the FDA

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026
2 – 3 p.m.
CC, General Assembly B, Level 3

Drawing on his experience leading the FDA, Dr. Makary will provide a unique perspective from inside the agency on the regulatory, scientific, and policy forces shaping the future of medical innovation. He will explore how emerging technologies are evaluated, how evidence informs regulatory decision making, and how we can accelerate meaningful innovation while protecting patient safety and maintaining public trust.

Dr. Basu will then lead a candid conversation with Dr. Makary about what these changes mean specifically for plastic surgery. Together, they will explore the rapidly evolving landscape of medical devices, artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, therapeutics, and other emerging technologies; the changing relationship between regulators, physicians, researchers, professional societies, and industry; and how plastic surgeons can play a meaningful role in shaping responsible innovation rather than simply responding to it.

This Presidential session offers a rare opportunity to look beyond today's regulatory environment and consider what comes next for our specialty, our patients, and the future of surgical innovation.

About Dr. Marty Makary

Dr. Makary is a surgeon, health policy expert, author and former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where he served as the 27th Commissioner of Food and Drugs from March 2025 to May 2026.

Dr. Makary is a professor at Johns Hopkins and holds a courtesy appointment with the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where he collaborates with faculty and mentors students. Clinically, he previously served as Chief of Islet Transplant Surgery at Johns Hopkins.

He has published more than 350 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is the author of several New York Times bestselling books, including Unaccountable, The Price We Pay, and Blind Spots. Dr. Makary has served as a visiting professor at more than 25 medical schools, received the Nobility in Science Award from the National Pancreas Foundation and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2018.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

1. Describe how scientific evidence, emerging technologies, and policy considerations inform FDA regulatory decision making and the evaluation of medical innovation.
2. Assess how evolving regulatory approaches to medical devices, artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, therapeutics, and other emerging technologies may affect plastic surgery practice and patient care.
3. Identify opportunities for plastic surgeons and professional societies to engage with regulators, researchers, and industry to advance responsible innovation while protecting patient safety and maintaining public trust.