Vinay Prasad, the leading vaccine regulator at the FDA and noted critic of Covid-19 policies, has decided to leave his position after just under three months in office.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mentioned in an email that “Dr. Prasad wishes to avoid distractions from the FDA’s important work during the Trump presidency and has chosen to return to California for family time.” They expressed gratitude for his contributions and the significant reforms he enacted while at the FDA.
Details about a successor for Prasad were not disclosed, and no specific reasons were given for his abrupt exit.
His resignation comes amid growing restrictions on gene therapy treatments for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, following criticism from conservative figures like Laura Rumer and former Senator Rick Santorum.
Both Trump and Rumer have taken to social media to lash out at Prasad, with Rumer labeling him a “destroyer” and a “trojan horse” for the administration’s health initiative.
She argued on her website that Prasad’s liberal views and outspoken anti-Trump stance posed significant challenges to the president’s deregulatory efforts, painting him as an unfortunate misunderstanding in a key role.
Centrum echoed her sentiments, posting that Prasad was “destroying the @potus legacy to help patients” on X.
A few days later, an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal described Prasad as a “young pupil of Bernie Sanders,” accusing him of blocking potentially life-saving therapies.
Prasad stepped into his role as head of the FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research in early May, taking over from Peter Marks, who resigned following a dispute with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Recently, Prasad’s division faced regulatory issues with Sarepta Therapeutics, the company behind a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Following the deaths of two patients in trials, the FDA required Sarepta to stop delivering treatments and halt clinical studies.
Before joining the FDA, Prasad was vocal in his opposition to the agency’s initial approval of a treatment, criticizing the June 2023 accelerated approval of Erebidi given the lack of solid evidence supporting its effectiveness.
On Monday, the FDA adjusted its stance, allowing treatments for patients who could still walk.
As a close ally of FDA Commissioner Marty McCurry, Prasad has also worked on revising the approval process for the updated Covid-19 vaccine. He now recommends it only for adults over 65 and those at high risk for severe illness.
In a recent Politico interview, McCurry defended Prasad, asserting, “He has no political agenda. I believe he is a brilliant scientist with one of the biggest hearts of our time.”
