Gottleib Takes His 30 Pieces Of Silver From Big Pharma

Scott Gottleib the former FDA supremo and vociferous anti-vaping crusader has taken a well-paid job at – wait for it – Big Pharma company Pfizer, the manufacturer and pedlar of the suicide stop smoking drug Chantix.

Imagine my shock!

The announcement was made yesterday with Pfizer positively crowing at employing such an outspoken critic of vaping, who some might say, had one eye on the Big Pharma gravy train all along.

Ian Read, Pfizer Executive Chairman said:

We are fortunate to have Dr. Gottlieb join Pfizer’s Board of Directors.

Scott’s expertise in health care, public policy and the industry will be an asset to our company and enable our shareholders to continue to benefit from a Board representing a balance of experience, competencies and perspectives.

So why is much of the vaping world – especially over in America – shaking their heads in disgust at this announcement?

For one, we know the direct competitor to Big Pharma company profits like Pfizer is the vaping industry – since its arrival, it has decimated sales and investors have tried every nasty trick in the book to attack vaping and vapers.

And for two, let’s cast our minds back to November 2018 where Gottleib called for the medicating of kids that were vaping. In fact, he went further calling for Big Pharma companies to begin working on a wonder drug specifically designed to help kids that were vaping to quit. As I said at the time a sledgehammer to a nut!

So, and I’m being generous here, this appointment could be construed as merely a coincidence, however, it’s his appointment to Pfizer’s Science and Technology Committee that got my nose twitching – just look at the committee’s aims:

Under the terms of its Charter, the Committee is responsible for periodically examining management’s direction and investment in the Company’s pharmaceutical Research & Development as well as in its technology initiatives.

Research and development? Surely that couldn’t mean targetting I dunno say a stop vaping drug designed for kids? Just a coincidence – move along nothing to see here…

Was His Anti-Vape Rhetoric Planned All Along?

As the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] Gottleib lit the fire and continued to fan the flames of hysteria over the supposed ‘teen vaping epidemic’. Indeed his parting shot stepping down from the post was the spiteful announcement vaping may trigger seizures – which has since been categorically refuted. Sadly, and as is the norm with actual facts around vaping, the truth has been ignored by the mainstream media.

Pfizer is one of the largest manufacturers of smoking cessation aids. Its extensive catalogue includes Nicorette gums – of which many are flavoured [oh the irony] – Nicorette mist sprays [also flavoured] – the Nicorette Inhaltor that looks remarkably like a pod kit and works in much the same way – Nasal sprays and of course patches.

We know, as does the wider scientific community, that in general, these products do not work anywhere near as well as e-cigarettes in helping smokers quit. But it’s big business and the facts need to be swept under the carpet where profits are concerned.

We know this thanks to leaked documents that showed collusion between Big Tobacco and Big Pharma with the switch and bait – kill and cure trick. See my article Nicotine Patches and Gums Don’t Work for more on that bombshell!

Curiously and given Gottleib’s anti-vaping and therefore anti-nicotine stance, all of those products contain nicotine and flavours, but of course being manufactured by Big Pharma, that’s OK.

When Gottleib arrived many of us inside vaping were kind of optimistic – after all, he had once invested in an e-cigarette company.

As he settled into his appointment the alarm bells began ringing especially when his attention turned to what he perceived as a vape-epidemic among young people in America. Targetting JUUL specifically and cheered on by an army of wide-eyed soccer moms – all no doubt with a bit of a crush on the brooding matinee idol wannabe – he began to enjoy and positively bask in the headlines labelling him as the anti-vaping crusader and saviour.

Just last week he took yet another shot at JUUL saying:

Juul is in a hard spot to ever get their product approved.

They have so much historical youth use with their product.

I don’t know how Juul gets through an application process.

I suggested at the time he was like some jilted lover not being able to let go lol.

Now his continued attack on JUUL, and therefore vaping in general, can be seen for what it really was.

He has laid the groundwork in the media and more importantly, the psyche of the American public, that ‘vaping bad – Big Pharma good‘ and to top it off gets paid a fortune for his troubles – shame on him.

Enjoy your 30 pieces of silver…