FDA nominee evasive on vaping

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration sidestepped questions Wednesday on the future of a 2-month-old proposal to ban most flavored electronic cigarettes.

Dr. Stephen Hahn told Senate lawmakers that a recent wave of underage vaping is an “urgent, important crisis” and demands “aggressive action.”

But he said he is not privy to the administration’s plans for vaping flavors, which are pending.

Hahn also told members of the Senate’s health committee that he had not discussed the issue with the president. The full Senate must vote on whether to confirm him to the position.

Senators from both parties pressed Hahn on reports that the Trump administration is backing away from the September announcement that it would remove most vaping flavors, which are popular among underage users. Federal law bans sales to those under 18.

“I can’t imagine a reason for holding off on immediately banning these kinds of flavors,” said Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah.

Hahn said he is “alarmed by the data and I think it requires bold action to keep these products out of the hands of kids.”

But he added that he wants to consult with FDA experts before committing to an approach for regulating e-cigarettes.

“I don’t have all the facts that they might have, but I will use science and data to make the decision,” said Hahn.

Later Wednesday, the White House announced that Trump will meet Friday with medical experts, health advocates and industry representatives on the problem of underage vaping.

At the meeting, administration officials said Trump will hear from representatives of “all sides” of the vaping issue as he weighs “responsible guidelines.”

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement announcing the meeting: “The policymaking process is not stalled — it continues to move forward.”

Throughout his remarks, Hahn, a cancer radiation specialist and top medical executive at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, emphasized that science — not political ideology — would guide his decisions. He also told lawmakers that he would draw on his experience treating lung cancer for decisions on regulating tobacco and vaping.

Trump and his top health officials said in September that they would remove all fruit, dessert, candy and other sweet flavors from the U.S. market within weeks.

But the plan has faced resistance from vaping lobbyists and conservative groups, who have warned that the move could cost Trump votes in states he needs to win reelection.

Under pressure, Juul Labs, the nation’s largest e-cigarette maker, has pulled all flavors except for menthol and tobacco. But hundreds of smaller companies continue to sell flavored e-cigarettes. Flavors have been banned from traditional cigarettes in the U.S. since 2009, except for menthol.

E-cigarettes typically heat a solution containing nicotine, creating a vapor that’s inhaled.

Unlike many past FDA nominees, Hahn has not worked in government or served as a public-health official, an issue raised by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the committee’s top Democrat.

“Dr. Hahn has almost no government experience, no public record on the policy issues related to the FDA, and no experience leading an organization anywhere near as complex as the FDA,” Murray said.

She also criticized the FDA’s 2017 decision to delay health reviews of e-cigarettes and the lack of follow-through on the proposed flavor ban.

The FDA regulates consumer goods and medicines, including prescription drugs, medical devices, tobacco and vaping products, cosmetics and most food.