FDA’s top tobacco scientist takes job at Marlboro-maker Philip Morris

The FDA's top tobacco scientist is leaving to work for Philip Morris International, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes.

It is the second high-profile FDA hire by PMI in recent months, and it comes at a time when the FDA is struggling to regulate the evolution of smoking and vaping products. The FDA backpedaled on its attempt to ban Juul e-cigarettes. Juul is partly owned by Altria, which spun off PMI in 2008.

On Tuesday, Matt Holman, director of the Office of Science at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, announced his departure to accept a position at PMI. The director of the Office of Science has been at the FDA for over 20 years.

In a memo later Tuesday, Brian King said that he had been on leave for a long period of time. While exploring career opportunities outside of government, Holman had "recused himself, consistent with agency ethics policies, from all CTP/FDA work."

Agency employees are free to pursue employment outside of the government and are required to immediately disclose that they are exploring opportunities outside the government.

Regulatory headaches

It's not clear when the renunciation occurred, but it appears to have happened less than a month ago. The third generation of IQOS was signed off on March 18. The first IQOS application was signed off by Holman.

The FDA's associate commissioner for External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, as well as the FDA's chief of staff, was hired by PMI. She is the head of the company's DC office. The title of his new role has not been disclosed.

The FDA is struggling to keep up with new products. The FDA missed a court-ordered deadline to make decisions on specific e-cigs, including Juul. More than 200 manufacturers submitted more than one million non-tobacco nicotine products to the FDA.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf announced last week that he had ordered an external review of the food program. The move acknowledged that the agency wasn't doing its job. Califf said that they had made important progress and reached regulatory decisions on millions of products. As we determine how the agency will navigate complex policy issues and determine enforcement activities for an increasing number of novel products that could potentially have significant consequences for public health, we face even greater challenges.