The head of the US Food and Drug Administration will step down from the post in a month’s time, President Donald Trump confirmed, after nearly two years in the role.

Scott Gottlieb has led the FDA as it tackled problems ranging from teenage vaping and opioid abuse and undertaken efforts to rein in the rising cost of prescription drugs.

The news comes just two months after the former physician publicly denied reports he was planning to step down from the role of commissioner, saying in a tweet the FDA had “a lot of important policy we’ll advance this year” and that he looked forward to “sharing my 2019 strategic roadmap soon”.

Mr Trump confirmed Mr Gottlieb’s departure on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, saying he had “done an absolutely terrific job”.

“Scott has helped us to lower drug prices, get a record number of generic drugs approved and onto the market, and so many other things. He and his talents will be greatly missed!” the president added.

In a two-page resignation letter obtained and published by Axios, Mr Gottlieb pointed to some of the FDA’s efforts over the past 23 months and said he was “fortunate for the opportunity that the President of the United States afforded me to lead this outstanding team, at this time, in this period of wonderful scientific advances.”

News of Mr Gottlieb’s impending resignation was reported earlier this afternoon by The Washington Post.

Shares in US-listed cigarette makers Philip Morris International and Altria both spiked higher on the initial Washington Post report, but quickly reverted to where they were trading before the news broke.