The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has a new acting director, according to the agency’s website.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said agency veteran Bret Koplow will be temporarily filling the role, Bloomberg reported, based on internal emails.
Koplow has worked for the FDA since 2011, according to his LinkedIn page. Within the agency, he has served in various roles, including most recently as senior counselor to the FDA commissioner.
CSP reached out to the FDA for comment but has not yet received a response.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids on May 1 named Brian King, former CTP director, as its executive vice president for U.S. programs.
King was removed from his position last month amid mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
On April 21, a group of Democratic senators, led by Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts) sent a letter to the HHS expressing concern over the FDA’s CTP cuts to its workforce.
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