FDA Official Vinay Prasad Regains Chief Medical Officer Title

Top Food and Drug Administration regulator Vinay Prasad has regained his role as the agency’s chief medical and scientific officer after he abruptly departed and then came back to the agency, according to an update on the agency’s website Thursday. 

Prasad returned as the agency’s top regulator for vaccines and gene therapies as head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research on Aug. 9. The additional chief medical officer role expands his influence and includes representing the agency’s perspective on medical and scientific matters. The position is also listed as having a leadership role in choosing which companies will benefit from a program to accelerate some drug reviews if they align with the agency’s priorities.

Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Rich Danker confirmed that Prasad had resumed his position as chief medical and scientific officer. 

Prasad unexpectedly left the agency on July 29 after a conservative backlash in part over his handling of safety issues with Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.'s gene therapy. Laura Loomer, an ally of President Donald Trump, had said he was not aligned with the president’s agenda and aggressively lobbied against his return.

Though Prasad was in his role for less than three months before his ouster, he managed to stir controversy at the agency. He demanded more studies of Covid vaccines, overruled his own scientific review staff and took a confrontational approach that gave critics fodder to claim he could stymie scientific innovation.