FDA chooses Dr. Vinay Prasad to lead biologics, vaccines division

The US Food and Drug Administration has named Dr. Vinay Prasad, a hematologist oncologist, to lead its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the division that oversees vaccines and biologic medicines.

Prasad, a professor at the University of California San Francisco, became a harsh critic of the government’s response and its vaccine policies during the Covid-19 pandemic. He replaces Dr. Peter Marks, who helped lead the division for 13 years and shaped the Operation Warp Speed effort to rapidly develop Covid-19 vaccines and treatments.