FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb Resigns
According to CNN, Gottlieb is leaving to spend more time with his family. He had been commuting to Washington weekly from his home in Connecticut.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, leader of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), is resigning his position effective next month, the Trump administration announced March 5, according to reports from The Hill and other news organizations.
According to CNN, Gottlieb is leaving to spend more time with his family. He had been commuting to Washington weekly from his home in Connecticut.
Prior to his post as FDA commissioner, Gottlieb served as FDA's deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs. He was appointed as commissioner by President Donald J. Trump and sworn in on May 11, 2017.
In a statement Tuesday, Alex Azar, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said that Gottlieb "has been an exemplary public health leader, aggressive advocate for American patients, and passionate promoter of innovation."
During his time as commissioner, Gottlieb and the FDA were particularly focused on seeking to reduce morbidity associated with tobacco use, seeking to reduce teen e-cigarette use, fighting the opioid epidemic, improving food safety, and tracking foodborne illness outbreaks.
Gottlieb's resignation was unexpected, as he tweeted two months ago, "I want to be very clear – I’m not leaving."