“I recognize there is a line here somewhere, and I don’t know where that line gets drawn,” was Scott Gottlieb’s reply to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), when the latter listed a few “child friendly” e-cigarette flavours. Gottlieb added, “I think that line needs to get drawn by people who are experts in evaluating that science, and I want to support that.” A statement that will likely be welcomed by public health experts, who have been advocating for dialogue, as opposed to a forbidding stance in regards to the products.
Scott Gottlieb said that it is imperative that this matter is viewed from all angles as the products may be inappropriate in one context, but relevant in another. Hence he believes that experts on the topic need to be consulted and play a leading role in taking decisions related to this matter. “I think a properly constructed and overseen regulatory process should have the capacity under the authorities Congress gave the agency to make these determinations,” he said.
A case of conflict of interest?
Gottlieb’s reply was that he is willing to do this for a year, but the campaign said that this is not enough. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ president Matthew Myers, said that since the FDA’s regulations influence the vaping industry in such a direct manner, the agency’s head should be expected to have no ties with the industry.
