The congress confirmed on May 9 Scott Gottlieb as Head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by a vote of 57 to 42.

His nomination triggered both enthusiasm and defiance. Consultant to the drug industry with stakes in several companies, Gottlieb was disapproved by most of the Democrats. Consumer advocates blame him for his ties with industries he will have to regulate. But his supporters underlined that his long experience working with drug makers and industrial companies would enable him to run the FDA smartly.

Scott Gottlieb has explained to Congress that his industry experience would be a true asset in his new job. Besides, he would recuse himself for one year from matters related to companies he was involved in.

The vaping industry considers this nomination as a positive sign. Indeed, Gottlieb used to have a board seat in a vaping company named Kure. And he actually seems open to discussions on the subject.