Two Weeks After Ouster Prompted By Laura Loomer, Vinay Prasad Back At FDA
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – Dr. Vinay Prasad has been reinstated to a senior position at the Food and Drug Administration, according to an August 9 statement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This comes less than two weeks after the White House pushed for his removal,
Prasad will again lead the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the division overseeing vaccines and other biologics, following a request from FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. A person familiar with the matter told Politico that the White House agreed to the move after reviewing remarks by Prasad that were circulated online last month by conservative activist Laura Loomer.
HHS confirmed the reinstatement but declined to answer further questions about whether Prasad will also return to his previous role as the FDA’s chief medical and scientific officer. His comeback marks a win for both Makary and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had opposed his removal, pointed out Politico.
Prasad’s July departure came amid political controversy over his past public comments, including criticisms of President Donald Trump. Loomer, who had previously called for his ouster, quickly attacked his reappointment on X, saying she planned to intensify her scrutiny of FDA and HHS officials.
According to Politico, the decision has drawn mixed reactions inside the agency. Some FDA staffers expressed concern, noting ongoing low morale and persistent vacancies among scientific reviewers despite recent rehiring efforts. About one-quarter of the 3,500 employees who received layoff notices earlier this year have since been brought back.
Prasad, a close ally of Makary, was a key figure in shaping the FDA’s regulatory pathway for future Covid-19 booster shot approvals. His reinstatement also comes as the agency continues to handle high-profile disputes with drugmakers, including Sarepta Therapeutics, whose Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy treatment Elevidys was under review by Prasad’s division shortly before his removal.
