According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Peter Marks, the top vaccine official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has been ousted. Marks, who played a significant role in the development of COVID-19 vaccines during former President Donald Trump’s administration, was reportedly given an ultimatum by a Health and Human Services official to either resign or be terminated. In his resignation letter to acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner, Marks expressed his belief that the current leadership values misinformation over truth and transparency. His resignation will be effective on April 5. Despite multiple attempts, Reuters was unable to reach Marks for comment.
An unnamed HHS official criticized Marks for not supporting the restoration of science and transparency within the FDA under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy. This comes as Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for spreading vaccine misinformation, announced plans to restructure federal health agencies by reducing staff and centralizing certain functions. The Trump administration and the FDA did not provide comments in response to Reuters’ inquiries after regular business hours.
