A medical doctor and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Gottlieb served as the deputy commissioner of the F.D.A. for Medical and Scientific Affairs (2005-2007) under President George W. Bush, and held other roles at the agency, noted GMA president and CEO Pam Bailey.
“His experience as FDA deputy commissioner and in other key FDA positions will enable him to quickly step into this important role after his confirmation."
A board member or adviser to several drug companies, Gottlieb has been a partner at New Enterprise Associates, a venture fund with investments in the life sciences, medical technology and healthcare services.
A resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute think tank, Gottlieb is also “well known for his ties to the pharmaceutical industry and for urging quicker approval of new drugs,” said CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson.
“But if nominated to be the next commissioner of the FDA, we urge Senators to question Gottlieb intensively about his intentions for the food side of the agency,” added Jacobson.
“The FDA has the authority and the capacity to save tens of thousands of lives each year by improving America’s food supply. While having safe and effective drugs is surely important, eliminating the last of the artificial trans fat, reducing sodium, and modernizing food labeling are measures that can help Americans from getting sick in the first place. The next commissioner should also be committed to implementing, and securing funding for, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.”
Dr Gottlieb has a BA in Economics from Wesleyan University and holds a Doctor of Medicine from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.