Brian King, the former director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), has been appointed executive vice president for U.S. Programs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).
The move comes on the heels of his recent departure from CTP, where his tenure was marked by significant criticism over the agency’s handling of vaping product authorizations. During his time at CTP, King oversaw the authorization of only a limited number of e-cigarette products, all of which are produced by major tobacco companies.
Notably, while creating a de-facto flavor ban by not authorizing any flavored vaping products, King did authorize four menthol-flavored e-cigarette products from Altria-owned NJOY. King stated multiple times during his tenure at CTP that each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, stating, “It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary evidence to obtain marketing authorization, and the FDA has made clear what’s needed to successfully achieve that outcome.”
Under King’s leadership, CTP denied marketing applications for over a million flavored e-cigarette products, citing insufficient evidence that the products would benefit adult smokers without appealing to youth. The broad rejections have been met with criticism from various stakeholders, including harm reduction advocates and smaller vaping companies, who argue that the FDA’s stringent requirements disproportionately boosted Big Tobacco’s profits.
Following his departure from CTP, King expressed his commitment to continuing tobacco control efforts in his new role at CTFK. “I am excited to join the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an organization that has contributed substantially to reducing the devastating human and financial toll of tobacco use in the United States and around the world,” King said. “We cannot take our foot off the gas as tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S. and is a major driver of chronic disease and health disparities.”
Yolonda C. Richardson, president and CEO of CTFK, praised King’s appointment, stating, “Brian has dedicated his career to advancing science-based policies and programs that reduce tobacco use and its devastating consequences. His leadership, passion, and breadth of knowledge and experience will guide us in the next phase of our work to protect children and end the death and disease caused by tobacco.”
