Scott Gottlieb, M.D., Approved by Senate as FDA Commissioner

On Tuesday, May 9 the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Dr. Scott Gottlieb as the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The vote was 57 to 42.

Dr. Gottlieb is a physician and former deputy FDA commissioner during the George W. Bush Administration.  He has also written on FDA policy as a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and worked as a consultant to companies including GlaxoSmithKline and Takeda.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., said Dr. Gottlieb’s background would be crucial for maintaining FDA’s high standards for safe treatments “while advancing new, innovative solutions” to public health issues.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) has worked closely with the Commissioner and FDA on several issues, recently focusing on drug shortages, safe drug compounding practices, and the opioid abuse epidemic.  We look forward to continuing to work closely with the FDA on this and other issues.