In An Era Of Stark Political Divisions, Gottlieb Managed To Build Unique Bipartisan Rapport On Capitol Hill
“I’ve never seen an administration official, Republican or Democrat, that has worked with the Hill so well on a bipartisan basis,” a senior congressional aide told Stat of departing FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. With his resignation, the Trump administration loses a crucial asset for pushing its health policy. Meanwhile, there have been worries that Gottlieb's resignation will disrupt the strides he's made against public health threats such as teenage vaping. Gottlieb, however, said he's confident that won't be the case. And Stat offers a look at who might be his replacement.
Stat:
With Gottlieb’s Resignation, The Trump Administration Loses Its Backroom Whisperer On Capitol Hill
The Trump administration just lost its most effective health policy salesman. Scott Gottlieb, the charismatic FDA commissioner who announced this week he will step down in about a month, was better than any other administration official at selling key Trump administration policies — particularly those related to lowering prescription drug prices — on Capitol Hill, lawmakers and aides in both parties told STAT. (Florko and Facher, 3/6)
The Hill:
Departing FDA Chief Says Youth Vaping Crackdown Will Continue
Outgoing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said his departure won't have any impact on the agency's crackdown on youth vaping. "I'm very confident of that, and I'm very confident that we're going to continue with this policy over the next month, including the policy that we've been formulating," Gottlieb said during an event hosted by The Hill Wednesday. (Hellmann, 3/6)
Politico:
FDA Moves On Vaping, Drugs And Food At Risk With Chief’s Departure
Gottlieb's initiatives on nutrition and vaping, along with overhauling regulation of dietary supplements, often were at odds with Republican orthodoxy and the Trump administration's anti-regulatory zeal. That means whoever replaces the 46-year-old libertarian physician will be hard pressed to get buy-in from the HHS Secretary, the White House and both parties in Congress. "We've developed very firm administrative records to support what we're doing and the other thing is, we built consensus," Gottlieb told POLITICO in an interview. "We did the hard work to get political consensus, not just broadly across Capitol Hill but within the administration. We went through the hard process of policymaking and we did it in an open and transparent fashion." (Karlin-Smith, Owermohle and Bottemiller Evich, 3/6)
The Hill:
FDA Chief's Resignation Casts Cloud Over Vaping Crackdown
“He is leaving at a uniquely sensitive time,” said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “If his departure means the promises he’s made don’t get adopted, then literally an entire generation of kids is at risk.” (Hellmann, 3/6)
CQ:
Departing FDA Leader Says E-Cigarette Work Will Continue
The regulation of e-cigarettes became a signature issue for Gottlieb during 2018 as federal surveys showed alarming increases in youth use. Moves to police more strongly the burgeoning industry stood out in the context of a Republican administration wanting to cut back on federal regulations. Gottlieb's recent actions also were somewhat of a partial about-face, because in July 2017, the FDA said that it would delay — from 2019 to 2022 — the deadlines for applications that e-cigarette manufacturers would need to submit in order to stay on sale. Some public health advocates have blamed the delay for rising youth use. (Siddons, 3/6)
Stat:
The Likely, Possible, And Longshot Contenders To Replace Gottlieb At FDA
The sudden resignation of Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, leaves a giant hole atop an agency that oversees a quarter of the U.S. economy. Which, of course, leads to an equally big question: Who will replace him? This is actually a two-part question. First, the administration will likely decide on an acting commissioner, who can take control when Gottlieb departs in a month. Then comes the harder task of finding a nominee who can be confirmed by the Senate. (3/7)
Bloomberg:
Health Stocks Lead Market Lower On FDA Scott Gottlieb Departure
Health care companies were among the worst performing stocks in mid-afternoon trading as investors weighed what FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s surprise resignation could mean for the year’s worst performing sector. Almost every member of the S&P 500 Health Care Index traded lower, with high-flying biotechnology stocks and pharmaceutical companies leading the way down, as the index was on pace for its worst one-day sell-off since January. The decline comes amid mounting concerns related to “Medicare for All” legislation and despite a continued string of biotechnology buyouts. (Lipschultz, 3/6)
Boston Globe:
Mass. Biotech Has A Lot At Stake As FDA Chief Abrupty Steps Down
The biotech industry has a lot riding on who ends up succeeding Gottlieb because of the FDA's make-or-break power over which new drugs make it to market. Along with the National Institutes of Health and its $2 billion-plus in annual grants to researchers here, there is arguably no other government agency as important to the life sciences industry. (Edelman, 3/6)
