Government
FDA has a new tobacco advisory committee
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 7, 2009
The Food and Drug Administration announced on Aug. 25 the creation of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, which is tasked with providing advice, information and recommendations to the commissioner on health issues relating to tobacco products.
The creation of the committee is a result of enactment of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on June 22.
The panel will be asked to consider a variety of topics, including identifying the effects of the alteration of nicotine yields from tobacco products; reporting on the impact of the use of menthol in cigarettes on public health; and advising on an application for modified-risk tobacco products, such as those that use descriptions such as "light."
The committee will consist of 12 members, including a chair that will be selected by FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD.
FDA announced on Aug. 19 the launch of its new Center for Tobacco Products to oversee implementation of the new tobacco law. Lawrence Deyton, MD, MSPH, clinical professor of medicine and health policy at George Washington University School of Medicine, was named the center's first director.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/07/gvbf0907.htm.
