USA (Commonwealth Union)_ Indian-American physician Dr. Vinay Prasad has officially assumed leadership of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CBER plays a pivotal role in overseeing the review and regulation of vaccines, blood products, and select gene therapies. FDA Commissioner Martin Makary announced the appointment via a statement on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Commending Dr. Prasad’s expertise, Makary said, “Dr. Prasad brings the kind of scientific rigor, independence, and transparency we need at CBER—a significant step forward.”
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Dr. Prasad, a prominent oncologist and hematologist, is widely recognized for his forthright commentary on public health policy, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He publicly questioned several pandemic-related measures, including the use of social distancing, vaccination for children, and the federal government’s pandemic response under former President Donald Trump. Notably, Prasad criticized the Trump administration’s promotion of unproven treatments and its inconsistent public health messaging.
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In addition to his medical practice and research, Prasad has cultivated a strong public presence through his Substack newsletter Sensible Medicine and his podcast The Plenary Session. He is also the author of two widely read books: Malignant: How Bad Policy and Bad Evidence Harm People with Cancer and Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives. His appointment follows the abrupt resignation of former CBER director Dr. Peter Marks in March, reportedly over internal disagreements. Dr. Prasad’s arrival at the FDA coincides with the agency’s introduction of stricter requirements for future vaccines, including mandatory placebo-controlled studies.
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Prior to his new role, Dr. Prasad was a full professor of hematology-oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. He earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago in 2009 and completed a residency in internal medicine at Northwestern University. His earlier academic journey included healthcare ethics and physiology at Michigan State University. He also held roles at the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health. Born to Indian immigrant parents and raised in Ohio and Chicago, Prasad has built a reputation as a bold voice in medical science and policy. His leadership at CBER is expected to bring a new perspective to federal oversight of biologics and vaccines in the United States.
