President Donald Trump plans to fire FDA Commissioner Marty McCulley, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a source familiar with Trump’s plans.
McCurry’s departure brings to an end a checkered tenure for the former Johns Hopkins University surgeon. He first gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when he criticized mandatory vaccinations and encouraged children to use masks to reduce the spread of the virus.
Trump’s plan to fire McCurry has not been finalized and the president could change his mind, the Journal said.
Mr. McCulley recently drew the ire of Mr. Trump with his reluctance to endorse fruit-flavored e-cigarette products. On Tuesday, the FDA granted approval to 45 types of e-cigarettes.
Mr. McCurry has been in the spotlight since March last year when he was approved to take over the agency, which was being dismantled due to layoffs. The FDA recorded unprecedented personnel changes during McCurry’s 14 months at the helm.
Last month, Dr. Richard Pazdur, the FDA’s longtime former chief of oncology who resigned after just one month as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), lamented the loss of expert voice within the agency and warned of political influence “permeating regulatory decision-making.”
Another example of agency turnover is the recent departure of Vinay Prasad, MD, as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), the second time in eight months, amid controversy surrounding several cell and gene therapies for rare diseases.
The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McCurry has been the target of criticism for the agency’s inconsistent drug reviews and abortion policies. Last November, hundreds of industry leaders signed a letter to McCulley calling for more predictability and questioning the FDA’s ability to function.
The FDA came under increased scrutiny this week for blocking the publication of a study of a coronavirus and shingles vaccine that found side effects from the shot were “extremely rare,” according to the New York Times.
