In this undated photo provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vinay Prasad smiles for a portrait. (US FDA via AP) Dr. Vinay Prasad, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) chief vaccine officer, will leave the agency again at the end of April, according to an announcement by the FDA commissioner reported by the Associated Press (AP).
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary told staff in an email Friday night that Prasad would resign and return to his academic position at the University of California, San Francisco.
Makary said Prasad would leave the agency at the end of April and resume his university work. According to the AP, the departure comes after months of disputes over how the agency handled reviews of vaccines, gene therapies and drugs for rare diseases.
Who is Vinay Prasad?
Prasad is a doctor and researcher who became known for his criticism of the way the FDA reviews and approves new drugs. Before joining the agency, he worked as a professor and medical researcher at the University of California, San Francisco.
He joined the FDA in May of last year to oversee work related to vaccines and several specialty drugs. His role put him at the center of decisions about approving vaccines and other new treatments.
Story continues below this ad.
According to the AP, Prasad’s decisions before the FDA have often drawn criticism from pharmaceutical companies and patient groups. Some companies said the agency reversed earlier decisions on certain drugs and requested new studies for products that had already been approved.
Previous departure and return
This is the second time in less than a year that Prasad has left the FDA. In July he was briefly removed from office after disputes with biotechnology executives, patient organizations and conservative allies of US President Donald Trump.
However, he returned to office less than two weeks later with the support of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and FDA Commissioner Makary.
What is the debate about vaccine policies?
During his time at the FDA, Prasad supported some measures aimed at speeding up drug reviews. At the same time, it also introduced additional warnings and study requirements for certain biotech drugs and vaccines.
Story continues below this ad.
According to the AP, some of these decisions involved vaccines developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been the subject of debate in American politics.
Prasad’s departure comes as the FDA continues to face scrutiny over how it evaluates vaccines and new treatments.
