WSJ: The FDA Clears the Air on Tobacco Products

Staff @ LT&C
2 days ago
1 min read

This piece was written in response to an article in the Wall Street Journal linked here.

While the FDA continues to navigate challenging headlines pointing to organizational problems and widespread criticism, one area within the agency stands out. Over the past year, the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has become a notable bright spot—delivering real results for an agency working through significant institutional challenges.

The CTP has been responsive to industry experts and congressional leaders. In 2022 the CTP was singled out in a report from the Reagan-Udall Foundation, highlighting the center’s shortcomings, including a lack of transparency and proactive decision-making. Multiple congressional hearings in the U.S. House and Senate were held criticizing CTP for its backlog of smoke-free product applications.

The CTP has taken several notable actions in the past year and is poised for more positive developments, including a new pilot program to fast-track nicotine pouch reviews and hearings of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee to review the status of smoke-free products.

There’s still more work to be done to ensure the CTP is meeting its mission and properly regulating tobacco products in the marketplace with a focus on authorizing scientifically substantiated smoke-free products. But the progress we have seen in the first year of this administration is notable.

Matthew R. Holman

Washington

Mr. Holman is vice president of U.S. Scientific Engagement & Regulatory Strategy at Philip Morris International and former chief scientist at the Center for Tobacco Products at the FDA.

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