Matt Holman, director of the Office of Science at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), will be stepping down immediately to join Philip Morris International.

The news was first announced in a tweet by Katherine Ellen Foley (@katherineefoley), a reporter covering the FDA for Politico, but the FDA has yet to publicly confirm it.

"PMI will not comment on what role Holman will take over. Ben and Todd Cecil (both at CTP) will rotate interim directors while continuing the search for a permanent head of OS."

Foley's source was a memo to staff from CTP director Brian King, who took office on July 3.

In the memo obtained by Vapor Voice, King wrote that Holman had been on leave before I started working at the center because he had recused himself from all CTP/FDA work in accordance with agency policy while exploring other career opportunities government.