Mitch Zeller, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), will officially retire on April 8, Zeller confirmed during the 103rd annual TMA meeting this week.
Today, the FDA confirmed to Vapor Voice that Michele Mital will serve as acting director of the CTP when Zeller retires. Mital has served as the deputy director of the CTP since 2018, according to the FDA.
In this position, Mital is responsible for assuring that CTP accomplishes its public health goals and for operationalizing the Center’s vision and mission as it implements the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
MItal will have some big shoes to fill. Zeller has been working on FDA issues for more than 30 years. He began his career as a public interest attorney in 1982 at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The news was first reported Wednesday afternoon in a tweet by FDA Tracker and confirmed by Filter reporter Alex Norcia after speaking with FDA sources. No formal announcement has been made.
This story will be updated when more information is available.