Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, is defending his decision to join the board of a drug company he once regulated, saying he is "very proud" of his new role at Pfizer, according to CNBC.
Dr. Gottlieb joined Pfizer's board two months after resigning from the FDA. He held the top post at the FDA for two years. Throughout his tenure he became known for cracking down on the e-cigarette industry and trying to get a handle on the opioid crisis.
In defending his decision to jump to Pfizer, Dr. Gottlieb said before joining the FDA he held several roles in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry.
"I worked with some large drugmakers before I came into the agency," Dr. Gottlieb told CNBC. "I made no bones about the fact that I had expertise in life sciences and I made my living trying to promote innovation in this sector prior to coming to the agency."
Since leaving the agency, beyond joining Pfizer's board, Dr. Gottlieb has returned to work at the American Enterprise Institute as a resident fellow and serves as a partner at a venture capital firm.
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