Senate Expected To Begin Debate Soon On Gottlieb’s Nomination To Head FDA
The Senate has scheduled a vote tonight to start the debate on Gottlieb, who has been criticized for being too close to the drug industry. Also in the news, the Food and Drug Administration wants to review Obama administration rules on health warnings for e-cigarettes.
CQ Roll Call:
Senate Prepares For FDA Nominee Vote
The Senate on Monday evening is poised to take a procedural step toward confirming Scott Gottlieb to be Food and Drug Administration commissioner. Gottlieb, an FDA official during the administration of President George W. Bush, has since worked as an adviser to numerous pharmaceutical companies and been a prolific commentator on health policy at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute. Though the nomination should receive the votes needed to limit debate with at least a few Democratic supporters, members of the minority party are likely to use their floor time to question Gottlieb’s past statements and potential for conflicts of interest. (Siddons, 5/8)
CQ Roll Call:
FDA Delays Deadlines For E-Cigarette Regulations
The rules were finalized a year ago by the Obama administration, but new officials at the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services want time to review them. Cigar-makers were facing a May 10 deadline to submit plans for including health warning labels on their packaging. Companies that make e-cigarettes and the liquid nicotine that fuels the devices were facing deadlines of June 30 to register with the FDA and Aug. 8 to submit a list of their products and ingredients. The new rules would also require companies to file applications to the FDA to sell the products, but the first deadlines for that more stringent part of the rules aren’t until summer 2018. (Siddons, 5/5)
