Trump administration's embattled FDA vaccine chief is leaving for the second time
NPR • • business
Key Points:
- Dr. Vinay Prasad, the FDA's vaccine chief, is leaving the agency again at the end of April, marking his second departure in less than a year amid controversies over vaccine and rare disease drug reviews.
- Prasad faced backlash for initially rejecting Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine application, a rare move that led to public disputes before the FDA reversed its decision to review the shot.
- The FDA, under Prasad's leadership, engaged in an unusual public conflict with UniQure over its experimental Huntington's Disease gene therapy, demanding a new sham-controlled trial despite ethical concerns.
- Prasad's tenure has been characterized by frequent disagreements with biotech companies, including multiple requests for additional studies that delay drug development and increase costs.
