The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has selected Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D., as director of the Center for Tobacco Products, giving the center a permanent leader with more than a decade of legal, policy, and regulatory experience at the agency. Koplow has served at FDA since 2011, including as senior counselor to the FDA commissioner, where he focused on regulatory, policy, and operational matters involving tobacco products. He had been serving as CTP’s acting director before the appointment.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Koplow will lead CTP around two priorities: promoting innovation and access to less harmful alternatives for adults who smoke while taking action to protect youth and minors from tobacco and nicotine. His appointment was part of four senior FDA leadership selections announced by HHS, including Jared Seehafer as the agency’s first deputy commissioner for technology and artificial intelligence, Michael Davis as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Karim Mikhail as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the appointments are intended to advance reforms and strengthen FDA’s leadership in medical innovation. Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said the selections “signal the direction we are heading” as the agency seeks to build its workforce and infrastructure and accelerate innovation across its centers.
