WASHINGTON — Dr. Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration’s controversial vaccine director, is stepping down from his position for the second time in less than twelve months, following ongoing disputes over his handling of vaccine and specialty drug approvals.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary informed agency employees about Prasad’s departure in an email sent Friday evening, noting that he will leave his post at the end of April to resume his academic career at the University of California, San Francisco.
This latest exit comes after a series of contentious situations surrounding the FDA’s evaluation process for vaccines, gene treatments, and biotechnology medications, where pharmaceutical companies have expressed frustration with the agency’s policy reversals and demands for additional clinical studies on previously approved treatments.
Last July, Prasad was temporarily removed from his position after clashing with biotechnology industry leaders, patient advocacy organizations, and conservative supporters of President Donald Trump. However, he returned to his role within two weeks with support from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Commissioner Makary.
Since joining the FDA in May of last year, Prasad, who previously worked in academia and criticized the agency’s drug evaluation standards, has pursued what appears to be conflicting regulatory approaches. While he has collaborated with Makary on initiatives designed to streamline and accelerate the FDA’s drug approval process for pharmaceutical companies, he has simultaneously implemented additional safety warnings and research requirements for certain biotechnology products and vaccines, especially COVID-19 immunizations that have drawn criticism from Kennedy, who opposed vaccines before joining the Trump administration.
