In a letter to staff, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food and Veterinary Medicine Dr. Stephen Ostroff announced he will be retiring in January 2019. Frank Yiannas, Walmart’s vice president for food safety will leave the mega-retailer to fill the void at the agency.
The FDA deputy commissioner position is being eliminated. Yiannas will go into the agency under the title Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response.
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says Yiannas will report directly to him.
“He’ll head the Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine,” Gottlieb said in a statement today. “Dr. Ostroff was instrumental in recruiting Mr. Yiannas to the Agency. Dr. Ostroff will remain at the FDA until January as a senior advisor to me, and will help Mr. Yiannas transition into his new role.”
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