Vinay Prasad Departs FDA Amid Controversies

Dr. Vinay Prasad, the United States===Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) vaccine chief, is leaving the agency for the second time in less than a year, effective at the end of April. His departure follows a series of high-profile controversies regarding the review of vaccines, gene therapies, and biotech drugs. Notably, Prasad initially refused to review Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine, a decision later reversed by the United States===Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He also engaged in a public dispute with UniQure over demands for a new trial for its Huntington's Disease gene therapy. Prasad's tenure has been marked by criticism from pharmaceutical executives, investors, and members of Congress, who have cited the United States===Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for reversing decisions and imposing new study requirements. He will return to his academic position at the University of California, San Francisco.