Trending Now - FDA Vaccine Chief Dr. Vinay Prasad to Step Down Again Next Month

WHO:

Dr. Vinay Prasad, FDA vaccine chief

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Pharmaceutical company Moderna

Drug company UniQure

President Donald Trump (mentioned as an ally of Prasad)

WHAT:

Dr. Vinay Prasad is leaving the FDA for the second time.

His departure is set for the end of April 2026.

Prasad will return to his academic position at the University of California, San Francisco.

In July 2025, Prasad was briefly forced from his job but was reinstated less than two weeks later.

Prasad initially refused to allow the FDA to review an mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna, which led to public criticism and a formal challenge from Moderna.

The FDA later reversed its decision and agreed to review the vaccine pending an additional study from Moderna.

The FDA demanded a new trial from UniQure for its gene therapy for Huntington's Disease, which raised ethical concerns.

A senior FDA official described UniQure's original study as "stone cold negative" and stated, "We have a failed product here."

WHERE:

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington, D.C.

University of California, San Francisco

WHEN:

Announcement of Prasad's departure was made on March 6, 2026.

Prasad's departure is scheduled for the end of April 2026.

Prasad was reinstated in July 2025 after a brief departure.

WHY:

Prasad's departure follows controversies regarding the FDA's review of vaccines, gene therapies, and biotech drugs.

He faced criticism from biotech executives, patient groups, and conservative allies of Trump for his decisions.

HOW:

Prasad's approach included both efforts to expedite FDA drug reviews and the imposition of new warnings and study requirements for certain drugs and vaccines.

Dr. Vinay Prasad, the FDA vaccine chief, is set to leave the agency at the end of April 2026, returning to his academic role at the University of California, San Francisco. His departure comes after a series of controversies surrounding the FDA's review processes for vaccines and gene therapies, including his initial refusal to allow a review of an mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna, which sparked public criticism. Prasad's tenure has been marked by a push for expedited drug reviews alongside new warnings and study requirements, drawing scrutiny from biotech executives, patient groups, and even allies of President Trump.