WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on confirmation of Dr. Scott Gottlieb as FDA commissioner (all times local):
5:20 p.m.
The Senate has confirmed Dr. Scott Gottlieb as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
The vote was 57-42 on Tuesday.
Gottlieb is a physician-turned-health consultant who has criticized many FDA regulations as unnecessary and has faced criticism from Democrats over his financial entanglements.
Democratic senators point to the hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting or other fees that Gottlieb received from several FDA-regulated companies. He said he would recuse himself for a year from some decisions and resign from several positions.
The FDA regulates products that affect about a quarter of all consumer spending - everything from new drugs and medical devices to food safety, tobacco and e-cigarettes.
Gottlieb has said opioid addiction is the biggest crisis facing the agency and the issue will “require dramatic action.”
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