What to know about Kyle Diamantas, the new acting FDA commissioner

The new acting commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who Donald Trump described as a “very talented person”, is a former corporate lawyer who previously defended a popular formula maker against claims of its product harming premature babies. Kyle Diamantas, who most recently served as the FDA deputy commissioner for food, will be taking over as acting FDA commissioner. In his prior role, Diamantas oversaw FDA nutrition and food safety protocols. He also “set the strategic direction and operations for food policy in the US” while serving as a liaison between the FDA, the health and human services department, and the White House, according to the FDA’s website . Diamantas also represented the agency on dealings related to food with foreign governments and international organizations. Diamantas’s ascension to the top role at the agency comes after his predecessor Marty Makary resigned on Tuesday. Makary’s 13-month tenure at the regulatory agency was marked by tumult and frustration from both sides of the aisle. He clashed with lawmakers on Capitol Hill about drug regulation decisions and a review of mifepristone , an abortion medication, which conservative members of Congress accused him of slow-walking. Trump signed off on a plan to fire Makary earlier this month, after the president admonished the FDA chief for not approving fruit-flavored vapes, per reporting in the Wall Street Journal. Diamantas will not be taking over the role permanently, as of now. …