He's Back: Vinay Prasad Returns As FDA CBER Head

Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH

© U.S. FDA

Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH, who was appointed to run the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) in May, then resigned in late July after he was criticized by right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, is now back running CBER, according to multiple media reports.

Prasad is back at the request of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, according to media reports, after the White House reviewed the past remarks that Loomer criticized. An HHS spokesman told Politico: "Neither the White House nor HHS will allow the fake news media to distract from the critical work the FDA is carrying out under the Trump administration."

Loomer had criticized Prasad in social media posts for previously publicly supporting prominent Democrats, such as Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Prasad also supported former President Joe Biden’s campaign in 2020. Loomer also criticized Prasad for his handling of the Sarepta situation, which saw FDA briefly call for all shipments of the drug Elevidys to be halted in the United States due to safety concerns. After a brief pause, however, Sarepta resumed shipments with support from FDA.

Before joining the FDA in May, Dr. Prasad was a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and held previous academic positions at Oregon Health & Science University. A hematologist-oncologist by training, he is widely published in oncology research and is the author of two books on evidence-based medicine. He also hosted the oncology podcast Plenary Session and founded The Drug Development Letter.

Dr. Prasad received his M.D. from the University of Chicago and his M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins University, with additional training at the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute.