FDA establishes tobacco advisory committee

The agency describes in three Aug. 26 Federal Register notices its next steps in implementing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, including establishing the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. The 1committee will consider the impact of menthol in cigarettes on the public health and other topics, and will report and offer recommendations to FDA within one year. The committee also must report within two years on the impact of dissolvable tobacco products on public health, including their use by children. In the second 2notice, FDA solicits nominations for nine voting members on the committee. Seven members will be physicians, dentists, scientists or health care professionals practicing oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, toxicology, pharmacology, addiction or a relevant specialty; one will be a government employee; and one will represent the public, the notice says. The third 3notice solicits nominations for three non-voting committee members from the tobacco industry and asks firms to participate in the committee selection process (4"The Tan Sheet" July 27, 2009). Nominations are due by Oct. 13