FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Resigns

The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, has announced his resignation, according to The Washington Post.

Gottlieb announced just last week that the FDA was arranging a public meeting in April to discuss CBD regulations, making clear that he had received the Congressional mandate regarding hemp legalization following the 2018 farm bill.

Gottlieb’s resignation does not appear to be tied to any political squabbles and was not requested by the White House or any other organization. Gottlieb, a 46-year-old physician, says he is resigning to spend more time with his family.

While in office, Gottlieb primarily focused on tobacco and nicotine-vape regulations but had recently committed to creating a pathway for the general public to access CBD.

“For CBD to be legally marketed as an ingredient in a food or dietary supplement, the law requires that the FDA first would need to issue a regulation to permit such marketing. We’re planning to seek broad public input on this pathway, including information on the science and safety behind CBD. But we know that this process could take time, so we’re also interested in hearing from stakeholders and talking to Congress on possible alternative approaches to make sure that we have an appropriately efficient and predictable regulatory framework for regulating CBD products.” — Dr. Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commissioner, via Food Navigator

As Gottlieb was the driving force behind CBD regulation at the FDA, the status of those regulations and the previously announced public meeting is unknown. Gottlieb will resign next month.