A Win for Science | FDA Update

Exciting news for the industry and a stabilizing moment for CTP. Read KEY FACTS & REFLECTIONS from our 𝗖𝗘𝗢 & 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿, Dr. Jessica Zdinak.

𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗦 from the article > Nicotine Insider HERE

 • Matthew Farrelly previously served as Director of the OS at CTP (starting in 2023).

 • Earlier in 2025, due to a restructuring, his role was changed / reassigned within HHS, though there was no public formal announcement (his LinkedIn still listed him as OS Director)

 • His name is now back on the CTP leadership list as 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗦.

 • 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀: 25+ years in tobacco / nicotine science and policy, more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, experience in regulatory science, tobacco control, media campaigns, etc.

𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 & 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦:

Matthew Farrelly’s return as Director of the Office of Science signals renewed focus on 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗼𝗿, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 at FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.

For the broader harm-reduction community, this leadership continuity means:

 • Greater 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 in regulatory science direction. The potential narrowing of “gray zones” in product innovation (less room for loosely supported claims).

 • A pivot toward 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-based regulation with an 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

 • Re-alignment of CTP priorities toward 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗿-𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

 • Heightened expectations for applicants to demonstrate 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰-𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵.

Overall, Farrelly’s return reinforces that 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 for nicotine and tobacco regulation - and hopefully at a more efficient and direct path for MGO/MDO decisions. A 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗗𝗔 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 committed to evidence-driven public health progress.