Barack Obama confirmed last week that Tom Daschle, a former leader of Democrats in the Senate, will be his secretary of health and human services. Worth noting, Mr Daschle will also head a new White House office of health reform. In other areas of action, including economic policy, leadership under the new president will be divided between one or more agency heads and a White House co-ordinator/adviser. In health policy, second only to the president, Mr Daschle will be in charge.