FDA Vaccine Chief Steps Down After Controversial Tenure
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, July 31, 2025 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) top vaccine official is stepping down after just three months in a role that upset drug companies, patient groups and some political leaders.
Dr. Vinay Prasad will leave the agency to “spend more time with his family,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in a statement.
But two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Prasad was asked to leave after a series of recent controversies. They spoke anonymously to discuss internal matters.
Prasad joined the FDA in May from the University of California, San Francisco. He had gained attention for questioning the agency’s current approach on approving new drugs, including COVID-19 vaccines.
In recent weeks, some conservative activists like Laura Loomer raised concerns about Prasad’s past statements, including praise for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and criticism of President Donald Trump.
“How did this Trump-hating Bernie Bro get into the Trump admin???” Loomer posted on X last week.
Prasad has also faced pushback for pausing shipments of the only approved gene therapy for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, a fatal muscle-wasting disease that mainly affects young boys, The AP reported.
The shipments were briefly stopped after reports of patient deaths. However, they resumed this week following pressure from families who rely on the treatment.
Prasad has long questioned the benefits of this gene therapy and others made by Sarepta Therapeutics.
As an academic, he often criticized the FDA for approving new cancer and genetic treatments too quickly and with limited evidence.
His approach clashed with Trump-era policies that supported faster approvals and more access to experimental treatments.
During his first term, Trump signed the “Right to Try” law, which allows terminally ill patients to seek treatments that haven't been fully approved by the FDA, The AP said.
His team also recently rejected three applications for new gene therapies from smaller biotech companies.
These types of treatments have been backed by anti-abortion advocates who see them as possible treatments for serious conditions that may lead parents to end pregnancies.
Dr. George Tidmarsh, a former pharmaceutical executive who joined the FDA this month, will take over Prasad’s role temporarily, according to an internal agency email shared with the AP.
Sources
- The Associated Press, July 30, 2025
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2025
Read this next
Note-Taking AI Reduces Doctor Burnout
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2025 — It can be spooky to realize that Alexa or Siri has been listening in on you, when a device in your home inadvertently springs to life. But...
Infections From Flesh-Eating Bacteria Are Spreading to New Areas
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2025 — Health experts across the country are issuing warnings about a surge in infections from a "flesh-eating" bacterium known as Vibrio...
CDC to Lay Off Hundreds in Restructuring
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2025 — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is finalizing the termination of at least 600 employees this week, including some working...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.