FDA takes more time to decide on e-cigarettes

FDA takes more time to decide on e-cigarettes

 

On Thursday, the FDA said it needed more time to decide whether the biggest-selling e-cigarette products may remain on the market -- a delay that infuriated pediatricians and anti-tobacco advocates.   The FDA said it has taken action on about 93% of the submitted applications -- something it called "significant progress." The agency did not announce a decision yet on products from the leading e-cigarette company, Juul Labs.   E-cigarette products have been allowed to remain on the market for years, even though none have been given the official green light by the FDA. Manufacturers were given until September 9 of last year to submit applications for the agency's authorization to remain on the market.   The FDA had a year to review those applications. Now, the agency says it needs to do more.   “There's more work to be done to complete our remaining reviews and ensure that we continue taking appropriate action to protect our nation's youth from the dangers of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, which remain the most commonly used tobacco product by youth in the United States," acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock and Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said in a joint statement on Thursday.   But, advocacy groups slammed the delay.   The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the lobbying arm of the American Cancer Society, had joined a lawsuit to force the September 9 deadline.   "The FDA's failure today to act on applications by JUUL, the manufacturer with the single biggest e-cigarette market share, is extremely disappointing and will allow the industry to further endanger public health and hook more kids on their highly addictive products," Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN, said in a statement.