Following the news that FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, plans to resign in about a month, the American Heart Association released a statement applauding Gottlieb’s efforts to curb the e-cigarette epidemic among the country’s youth.
Gottlieb took his post in May 2017 and has cracked down on the e-cig industry’s marketing efforts toward teens, including proposing to ban certain flavored products which especially appeal to young people.
“Commissioner Gottlieb departs the FDA having established himself as a tireless champion of tobacco control,” AHA CEO Nancy Brown said in the statement. “He elevated the war on tobacco use—and particularly the epidemic of electronic cigarette use among youth—to unprecedented levels. Because of his efforts, millions more people nationwide are aware of the grave threats posed by e-cigarettes and other tobacco products that are addicting a new generation of youth.”
Brown urged the FDA to continue its aggressive regulatory steps against the tobacco industry after Gottlieb’s departure and said other gains achieved under his leadership must continue as well.
“His efforts to accelerate generic approvals and competition, and to educate consumers about the link between nutrition and chronic, preventable disease must move forward,” Brown said. “The FDA has a critical role to play in empowering consumers with nutrition information and encouraging the food industry to make healthier food options available.”
Several reports indicated Gottlieb’s resignation took the healthcare industry, and even those within the FDA, by surprise. The resignation wasn’t sought by the White House, according to the Washington Post.
A story published in Cardiovascular Business in February 2018 suggested cardiologists were largely welcoming of Gottlieb’s bold start in the position. He sought to modernize and streamline approval processes for certain drugs and devices and is known as a transparent communicator. He was active on social media and commonly released several-hundred-word statements on actions taken by the agency.
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.