Marty Makary, the British-American surgeon and public health researcher, has resigned as commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration after serving in the post for just over a year. He will be replaced, on an interim basis, by Kyle Diamantas, the agency’s deputy commissioner for food. The resignation was reported by Politico on 12 May and later confirmed by President Donald Trump to reporters the same day ahead of his trip to China.
Dr Makary’s potential departure was flagged up by The Wall Street Journal on 8 May which disclosed plans by the White House to dismiss him over differences on policy. This included a controversy over whether the FDA should expand the regulation of vapes which are electronic cigarettes. Vapes have been regulated since 2016, but only recently authorised as flavoured products. The latest authorisation, issued on 5 May, reportedly took place under pressure from the White House.
Dr Makary’s resignation follows a series of departures from top FDA officials over the past year including Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Robert F Kennedy Jr, director of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, has orchestrated the firing of about 3,500 people at the agency, according to the STAT newsletter.
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