Trump’s former FDA commissioner joins board of UnitedHealth

The former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner under President Donald Trump has joined the board of directors at UnitedHealth Group, the company announced on Tuesday.

Scott Gottlieb, MD, begins his position on the board “effective immediately,” taking a significant leadership role in shaping the internal workings of the healthcare giant. In terms of what committees he will serve on, UnitedHealth didn’t offer any details.

Gottlieb, 53, served as FDA commissioner from 2017 to 2019, during Trump’s first term. UnitedHealth characterized his tenure as one known for “promoting transparency, strengthening patient safety and widening consumer choice.”

Some of his key issues of focus were on curbing the opioid epidemic and youth tobacco use, the company added.

Before he was commissioner, Gottlieb worked in various roles at the FDA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) between 2003 and 2007, under the administration of George W. Bush. He played a significant role in developing the Physician Labeling Rule, a framework that standardizes prescription drug labeling into a structured format to improve essential prescribing information, such as drug interactions.

“I look forward to working with UnitedHealth Group to help shape how medical breakthroughs are developed and made accessible to patients who may benefit from them,” Gottlieb said in a statement. “I hope to leverage my experience to support providers in their delivery of care that’s not only more innovative but also more affordable, and that improves outcomes for patients and communities.”

Gottlieb, a practicing physician, is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author, writing on healthcare-related topics. He contributes to various news outlets, mainly CNBC and CBS News.