The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is seeking nominations by Dec. 14 to fill two vacancies on its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC), which advises the agency on scientific, technical, and policy issues related to tobacco regulation. Candidates may be self-nominated or nominated by individuals or organizations and should have expertise in oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, toxicology, pharmacology, addiction, engineering, or other relevant fields. Selected members may serve terms of up to four years. Nominations submitted after the deadline will be considered for future vacancies. The Federal Register notice provides submission instructions.
The FDA also announced four new voting members: Holger Behrsing, Ph.D.; Kim “Skip” Murray, representing the general public; Margaret Nolan, M.D.; and Andrew A. Strasser, Ph.D. Their expertise spans preventive medicine, chronic diseases, tobacco cessation and harm reduction, toxicology, cell biology, and health communication. The agency also selected Eric Ray Walker, Ph.D., as an alternate nonvoting member representing tobacco growers. TPSAC has 12 members, including a chair, and evaluates tobacco-product risks, dependence, and health effects to provide advice and recommendations to the FDA commissioner.
