Vinay Prasad, the US Food and Drug Administration’s chief medical and science officer, has left the health regulator, the Department of Health and Human Services – which oversees the FDA – has confirmed.
The department said that Prasad “did not want to be a distraction to the great work of the FDA in the Trump administration and has decided to return to California and spend more time with his family”, reports Reuters.
“We thank him for his service and the many important reforms he was able to achieve in his time at FDA.”
Endpoints News was the first to report Prasad’s departure, saying it came after a number of controversial decisions by the FDA regarding a gene therapy drug for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, manufactured by Sarepta Therapeutics.
The agency first halted shipments of the drug – Elevidys – after the deaths of some recipients but then rescinded the suspension on Monday.
Prasad was named as the health regulator’s chief medical and science officer in June. The previous month, the oncologist who had previously criticised FDA leadership and Covid-19 mandates, was named Director of its Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Reuters article – US FDA's chief medical and science officer Prasad departs agency (Open access)
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