Former FDA Commissioner Gottlieb Joins Pfizer: World’s Largest Pharmaceutical Company and Second Largest Manufacturer of Vaccines
Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD has joined the board of directors of Pfizer, Inc.—the world’s largest pharmaceutical company and second largest manufacturer of vaccines. Pfizer, which posted total revenues of $53.7 billion in 2018, announced Dr. Gottlieb’s election to the board on June 27, 2019. Dr. Gottlieb, who led the FDA from May 11, 2017 to Apr. 5, 2019, has also been appointed to the Regulatory and Compliance Committee and the Science and Technology Committee of Pfizer’s board. As FDA Commissioner, Dr. Gottlieb often expressed strong opinions about the safety and mandatory use of vaccines. He has said he does not believe there is a need for further scientific research into reported vaccine side effects, such as the development of regressive autism in previously healthy children after vaccination. He was also outspoken this year about his belief that children attending school with vaccine exemptions are to blame for measles outbreaks and the federal government should intervene if states do not restrict or eliminate vaccine exemptions.