In a sweeping overhaul of its health workforce, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has dismissed Brian King, its chief tobacco regulator. This significant reshuffle has seen many of the top experts in various sectors, including food, drugs, vaccines, and nicotine-related products, exit their roles.
Brian King informed his team via email about his removal from the position, expressing “profound disappointment” at being placed on administrative leave. Numerous employees in the FDA’s tobacco center were also dismissed. Two entire offices responsible for shaping tobacco policies and regulations were effectively dismantled.
Mitch Zeller, a former head of the FDA’s tobacco division, criticized the decision, saying it undermines the center’s function and diminishes its public health impact. Other notable dismissals included the FDA’s press office and senior officials involved in drug and vaccine oversight. Many FDA staff members, fearing repercussions, spoke anonymously on these developments.
Appointed in 2022, King faced considerable backlash from vaping proponents for enforcing the removal of flavored e-cigarettes from the market. His efforts coincided with a substantial decrease in teen vaping rates, hitting a decade-low. King’s exit follows that of the former FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks, who resigned after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was accused of promoting vaccine misinformation.
The agency has seen a considerable turnover of its senior leadership managing drugs, food, vaccines, medical equipment, and tobacco products, largely due to retirements and resignations. Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf criticized these moves, suggesting they will negatively impact the organization’s effectiveness, as the body loses leaders with deep institutional knowledge.
The transition is happening as Kennedy initiates plans to cut 3,500 FDA employees, alongside reevaluating the safety of various products. Newly confirmed FDA commissioner Marty Makary takes over an agency amidst these challenges, having faced a turbulent downsizing and organizational change.
During his confirmation hearing, Makary indicated plans to review recent layoffs but offered little insight into future tobacco policies. The nation continues to grapple with tobacco-related diseases, which remain the leading preventable cause of death.
The FDA’s efforts to regulate vaping products have faced intense scrutiny. Advocates want more decisive action against youth-targeted unauthorized vaping products, while tobacco companies criticize the regulatory pace for new products like e-cigarettes. Under King, the FDA turned down numerous flavored e-cigarette applications for insufficient evidence supporting adult smokers’ transition from traditional cigarettes, leading to legal challenges the Supreme Court is considering.
The Vapor Technology Association, a formidable critic of King, welcomed his dismissal, describing it as a step toward necessary reform of the FDA’s approach to tobacco products.
The FDA has witnessed several other high-profile departures recently, including Jim Jones, the deputy commissioner for foods, and Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the drug center director. The agency has also seen its medical devices director Dr. Jeffrey Shuren retire, alongside multiple senior scientists. As these transformations unfold, the FDA faces significant operational challenges in fulfilling its critical public health responsibilities.