<2>Vinay Prasad Leaves FDA Again Amid Dispute Over Huntington’s Disease Treatment
<3>Background and Conflict
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been embroiled in a series of disputes with pharmaceutical companies, leading to the departure of Vinay Prasad, the agency’s chief medical and scientific officer, for the second time. Prasad will leave the agency in April, according to a report by FDA commissioner Marty Makary. He will return to his previous role at the University of California, San Francisco, where he is a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics.
<3>Previous Departure and Reinstatement
Prasad’s latest departure comes after a tumultuous tenure marked by controversy. He resigned once before in July 2025, after only three months in the job, amid controversy over suspending a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. However, he was reinstated two weeks later. This latest departure has sparked concerns about the stability of the FDA and its ability to navigate complex disputes with pharmaceutical companies.
WHO Guidelines on the Evaluation of Therapeutic Products emphasize the importance