In what will undoubtedly be one of the most surprising of the many departures in the Trump administration to date, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has tendered his resignation, effective from next month.

The resignation, which was made public in a letter to his staff on March 5, is coming amid FDA’s push for various public health initiatives and policies. Among the most prominent is the FDA’s campaign against teenage vaping.

Scott Gottlieb, who has done an absolutely terrific job as Commissioner of the FDA, plans to leave government service sometime next month…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2019

Sources familiar with the matter confirmed to the Washington Post that the 46-year-old doctor and former venture capitalist is stepping down to spend morethat if elected, Gottlieb could substantially undermine his agency and its regulatory oversight. Various members of Trump’s cabinet have been known to fumble while in office, with agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as notable case studies.

Stellar Credentials

Gottlieb’s tenure at the FDA proved to be rather smooth, as the New Jersey native managed to avoid any significant incidents or political outrage. Under his leadership, the agency embarked on campaigns to reduce the prices of drugs, choosing to promote the development of generic medications instead of brand-name drugs.

He was a prominent advocate for evidence-based approaches to issues of public health, such as the rejuvenation of health through the infusion of blood plasma from young adults.

He advocated for easier access to