FDA Commissioner Makary Faces Scrutiny Amid Controversial Decisions and Potential Termination
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Makary’s tenure at the FDA has been marked by several controversial decisions on drugs and vaccines amid plummeting staff morale over layoffs and the appointments of divisive officials. Recent political clashes include abortion, drugs and vaping, but decisions to pull back publications on the safety of shingles and Covid vaccines, among other immunization decisions, have also rocked public health. There have also been concerns about the transition from two clinical trials to one, the commissioner’s new priority review vouchers and “data-free” regulatory decisions.
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New York PostWASHINGTON — A panoply of critics is trying to take down Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Marty Makary — sensing blood in the water after President Trump forced him to approve flavored e-cigarettes with new “age gate” ID-verifying technology.
New York TimesDr. Makary has been a supporter of the Make American Healthy Again Movement but made some enemies in the administration over vaping, the abortion pill and rejections of new drugs.
The Daily WireMakary has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle during his 14 months as FDA Commissioner. Democrats have criticized his vaccine policies, while pro-life groups have called for his resignation over what they say is inaction on Biden-era abortion pill regulations. Asked about safety concerns surrounding the abortion drug mifepristone, Makary told The Daily Wire the FDA is committed to addressing these concerns and that a study on the drug’s safety is underway.
PBS NewsHourMultiple outlets are reporting that Trump is set to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary. The news comes after a tumultuous tenure since his installment as FDA head last year. Stephanie Sy speaks with Liz Whyte, health policy reporter at the Wall Street Journal, for more.
Washington TimesMr. Makary’s tenure has recently been shaken over his decisions on drug policy and vaping, as well as Republicans’ disapproval of the FDA’s handling of mifepristone, an abortion pill.
ReutersTrump planning to fire FDA chief Makary, WSJ reports Reuters
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Trump’s plan to fire Makary is not yet final and may still change, the Journal reported. Makary, “an embattled, paranoid leader”, is “one more high-profile misstep” away from losing his job, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. He is on “thin ice” with the White House because he is “not the best fit” to manage staff and navigate bureaucracy, according to Notus.
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New York PostMakary has faced staffing drama and internal allegations he's not sufficciently aligned with Trump, which his allies deny. Allison Robbert / Pool via CNP / SplashNews.com
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There have been several directors of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Despite criticizing the role of industry at the agency, leaders first chose George Tidmarsh, a biotech industry veteran, to lead CDER. Tidmarsh was soon ousted – and sued by a company alleging he used his position to affect their business. Richard Pazdur, a respected cancer drug regulator, accepted the role and then quit after a month.
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New York PostYet another Makary aide, George Tidmarsh, resigned in November as director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, after a lawsuit accused him of attempting to “extort and solicit a bribe.”
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Makary, previously a professor and surgeon at Johns Hopkins, came to prominence by critiquing Covid boosters. As FDA head, he’s seen as a respectable white coat in the White House, but Makary has also promoted dangerous conspiracy theories. HIV “very well may have come from a lab”, Makary said on a far-right podcast in November. “Where did Lyme disease come from? I can tell you with a high degree of probability it came from lab 257 on Plum Island,” he added, referring to a theory that the bacteria was created in a secret military lab. (The bacteria that causes Lyme disease circulated long before then.)
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The Daily WireBut Makary has experience swimming through the turbulent waters of public opinion. A pioneering surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, Makary is the author of more than 300 peer-reviewed medical journal articles and was one of the few scientists calling out the politicization of science during the COVID pandemic.
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A Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission member sued President Trump on Thursday for firing him, claiming it was illegal in the latest battle implicating presidential control over independent agencies.  Moshe Marvit, an attorney known for his writings on workers’ rights appointed to the commission by then-President Biden, said his termination notice didn’t cite any reason.   “Congress gave the President the authority to remove commissioners in a…
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Washington ExaminerA member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is suing President Donald Trump over his firing, arguing the president exceeded his constitutional authority by removing officials from independent agencies without cause.
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In an effort to regain the public trust in science and medicine, the FDA is giving the public unprecedented transparency of the drug application process.
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RealClearPoliticsThe FDA is rebuilding trust, not suppressing 'science.' The FDA is rebuilding trust, not suppressing 'science.'
8 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 The Guardian US Vaping is a divisive issue in public health, since it can be used as a smoking cessation aid but it also carries its own health risks. But the greater risk is political interference – or even the appearance of it – in regulatory decisions, experts say.
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02 NBC News Pentagon releases declassified UFO files 02:03- Now Playing Trump considering firing FDA head Dr. Marty Makary, source says
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03 Reuters White House considering naming FDA food chief as acting commissioner Reuters
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04 Washington Times A source close to the White House also told Reuters of being informed that Mr. Makary “is done,” and that Mr. Trump has signed off on firing him.
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05 Washington Examiner “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commissioner is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service.”
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06 The Daily Wire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Martin Makary says his agency is working hard to bring back “gold standard science” while Americans’ trust in science and medicine is at historic lows.
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07 New York Post The attacks run the gamut of hot-button issues and will test Makary’s skill at navigating administration dynamics while endeavoring to please the president, who recently started to fire second-term agency leaders who brought him negative press.
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08 Vox But these days, as trust in doctors and other traditional medical authorities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has eroded, Americans are more and more likely to consult their Instagram or TikTok feed.
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