FDA's Drug Regulator Steps Down After Just Three Weeks Amid Turmoil and Rebellion Against Commissioner Makary's Plans.
Dr. Richard Pazdur, the newly appointed head of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, has decided to leave his position just three weeks after taking the role. His departure comes amidst a backdrop of controversy and rebellion against FDA Commissioner Marty Makary's plans to overhaul and expedite agency operations.
Pazdur, an oncologist who has worked at the FDA since 1999, was seen as a stabilizing force for the agency, which has been plagued by turmoil during the Trump administration. His appointment was viewed positively by agency insiders, industry representatives, and patient advocacy groups, but he quickly clashed with Makary over issues related to the legality and public health risks of his plans.
Pazdur expressed deep concerns about Makary's proposals, including a plan to reduce the number of studies needed for drug-related decisions and shorten review times. He also pushed back on Makary's plan to exclude agency career scientists from certain drug review processes deemed political priorities. These disagreements led Pazdur to consider retirement last month.
According to reports by Stat News and The Washington Post, Pazdur has now filed paperwork to retire at the end of this month. While he may still change his mind, a source told the Post that such a reversal is unlikely. Ellen Sigal, chairperson and founder of advocacy group Friends of Cancer Research, described Pazdur's departure as a "sad day for science and patients" and called him their "guiding light."
Dr. Richard Pazdur, the newly appointed head of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, has decided to leave his position just three weeks after taking the role. His departure comes amidst a backdrop of controversy and rebellion against FDA Commissioner Marty Makary's plans to overhaul and expedite agency operations.
Pazdur, an oncologist who has worked at the FDA since 1999, was seen as a stabilizing force for the agency, which has been plagued by turmoil during the Trump administration. His appointment was viewed positively by agency insiders, industry representatives, and patient advocacy groups, but he quickly clashed with Makary over issues related to the legality and public health risks of his plans.
Pazdur expressed deep concerns about Makary's proposals, including a plan to reduce the number of studies needed for drug-related decisions and shorten review times. He also pushed back on Makary's plan to exclude agency career scientists from certain drug review processes deemed political priorities. These disagreements led Pazdur to consider retirement last month.
According to reports by Stat News and The Washington Post, Pazdur has now filed paperwork to retire at the end of this month. While he may still change his mind, a source told the Post that such a reversal is unlikely. Ellen Sigal, chairperson and founder of advocacy group Friends of Cancer Research, described Pazdur's departure as a "sad day for science and patients" and called him their "guiding light."
like a real-life soap opera but instead of romances and scandals it's about the FDA 
. Three weeks in and out already? That's faster than I can down a whole pizza 
. Makary's plans are like that one aunt who just won't shut up – you know, annoying and making everyone want to scream 
. Pazdur was trying to keep it chill, but I guess some people just can't handle a little stability 
. Anyway, back to the soap opera 
– what's next? More drama or is it going to be a calm and quiet week? 
This whole thing is wild, you know? I mean, someone new gets appointed to head up the FDA and they're already clashing with the commissioner over big plans to shake things up. It's like they didn't even do a proper background check or something 
. And now Dr. Pazdur is out, just three weeks in, and he was trying to be all reasonable about it too? I feel bad for him, but at the same time, I'm kinda glad he's getting out of there before things get any more chaotic 
. It's like, can't we just slow down for once and think this through before we make any more rash decisions? 
! Dr Pazdur was like the voice of reason 
at the FDA, especially after all the chaos during Trump's time 
and I totally get why Pazdur wasn't on board 
before quitting 
. The patients and scientists are really gonna miss him 
! Maybe Makary should listen to his concerns instead of ignoring them 
? Anyway, I hope the FDA gets back on track 
soon!
. It's not about patient care or science, it's about politics 
. Anyway, can't believe I'm writing this post at 2am worrying about the future of our healthcare system 
. It's a shame, because I thought he was the one guy who could bring some stability to the agency 
.
. The commissioner's plans are just so... sketchy 
. Shorten review times? Reduce studies? That's not how you keep people safe 
. It's like they're gonna rush through all these new meds without even checking if they work or not 
. I'm keeping an eye on it, but I don't know what the future holds 
. Makary's plan to speed up review times is great for profits but terrible for public health 
vs 
. It's like, are we prioritizing profits over people? That's a real question we need to be asking ourselves about our regulatory bodies 
. It's like, if we can't trust our regulators, who can we trust? This is exactly why we need more transparency and accountability in our government 
.
.
and now the whole fda is all up in arms 
i feel so bad for dr pazdur tho, he's like a total hero for trying to speak up against the commissioner's plans 
especially when it comes to patient safety 
anywayz i'm just hoping someone else steps in and does a better job than dr pazdur did 
.
. He's got tons of experience and knowledge in the oncology field and it seemed like he was gonna be a game changer for the agency 
. Now, because Commissioner Makary had his own plans and they didn't align with Pazdur's concerns about public health risks 
. I'm not surprised Pazdur pushed back hard - someone's gotta keep Makary in check 
.
. What's happening to all those patients who rely on FDA approval? It's like they're being thrown under the bus 
. I hope someone's paying attention, 'cause this isn't just about Makary or Pazdur - it's about public health and science 
.
. It's sad that we're losing a voice of reason at the FDA when what we really need is more scrutiny on these new plans 
.
Maybe they just need a fresh start or something? 
. I get why he'd want to leave if he didn't see eye-to-eye with Commissioner Makary's plans, but it's a shame he can't make things work 
. Maybe Makary will take some of Pazdur's concerns to heart?