President Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate Scott Gottlieb, MD, as Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a statement released by the White House’s Office of the Press Secretary.

In being selected to lead the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Gottlieb is returning to the agency where he served as Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs following his appointment in 2005. Dr. Gottlieb is a physician, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates, a Chevy Chase, Maryland-headquartered venture capital firm.

If confirmed by the US Senate, Dr. Gottlieb will succeed Robert Califf, MD, the former FDA Commissioner who formally stepped down before the Trump administration took office. Stephen Ostroff, MD, is currently serving as Acting commissioner of Food and Drugs on an interim basis. From May 2016 to January 2017, Dr. Ostroff served as the FDA’s deputy commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine. Prior to that, he served as the acting FDA commissioner from April 2015 to late February 2016.

Source: The White House Office of the Press Secretary and Food and Drug Administration