Gottlieb Sworn In as FDA Commissioner

Scott Gottlieb was sworn in as FDA commissioner after his appointment was confirmed by the Senate.

Gottlieb, 44, has said he will boost the agency’s efforts to keep tabs on medical devices after they are approved.

As the 23rd commissioner, he will be leading an understaffed agency. The FDA currently has approximately 700 to 1,000 vacancies; however, the 21st Century Cures Act grants the agency wider hiring powers and authorizes additional government funding.

Gottlieb previously served as the FDA’s deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs and before that, as a senior advisor to the FDA commissioner. In 2013, he was appointed by the Senate to serve on the Federal Health Information Technology Policy Committee, advising HHS on health care information technology.