President Donald Trump’s pick to head the FDA is spurring concerns about drug approvals and off-label promotion.
Trump March 10 nominated Scott Gottlieb to be the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. The nomination was widely praised by drug and device industry groups, but a consumer group and other stakeholders told Bloomberg BNA they are concerned that Gottlieb, who is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and previously worked at the agency as a deputy commissioner, has advocated for quicker drug approvals with less evidence and wants to loosen restrictions on off-label promotion of drugs and medical devices. Critics of the nomination also are concerned that Gottlieb is too closely tied to industry. […]
Gottlieb “is someone who is entangled in an incredible, unprecedented web of ties to industry spanning his professional career,” Public Citizen’s Carome told Bloomberg BNA.
Carome said Gottlieb has been both a venture capitalist and sat on the boards of several drug companies. Gottlieb also “accepted large amounts of money for the period 2012 to 2015, at least $400,000, in speaking fees and consulting fees from several companies and we think it’s just impossible for him to really fully disengage from those ties to industry,” Carome said.
“Like many of President Trump’s other nominees, Scott Gottlieb has extensive financial ties to the industries he’d be in charge of regulating and has shown more interest in reducing regulations rather than enforcing them,” Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, told Bloomberg BNA in an email.
Zuckerman said “when FDA focuses too heavily on easing the burdens on industry, that shifts the burden to patients, consumers, and physicians” and “none of us can make informed decisions about medical treatments, diagnostics, or prevention strategies when the FDA doesn’t require clear scientific evidence and isn’t transparent about its decisions.”
“If he becomes Commissioner, I hope Dr. Gottlieb will enforce the law and focus on fulfilling the FDA’s essential public health mission,” Zuckerman said. “I expect that industry will strongly support Dr. Gottlieb’s nomination but divesting could potentially be complicated and therefore could delay his confirmation.” […]
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