Who is Vinay Prasad, Indian-origin FDA official who resigned after campaign by right-wing influencer Laura Loomer?

Dr Vinay Prasad resigned as the top vaccine and gene therapy official of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday (July 29) in the wake of a vilification campaign led by right-wing influencer Laura Loomer. Loomer had slammed Prasad for allegedly denying drug approvals for rare diseases, and for his past support of left-leaning figures like Senator Bernie Sanders. The resurfacing of his past social media posts, identifying himself as a political liberal, and joking about having a Donald Trump 'voodoo doll' may have contributed to his exit, according to reports in the US media.

Prasad played a role in ending US Covid vaccine mandate

“Dr. Prasad did not want to be a distraction to the great work of the FDA in the Trump administration and has decided to return to California and spend more time with his family,” said Andrew Nixon, a Health and Human Services spokesperson, confirming Prasad's resignation just three months into the post.
Prasad had expressed some conservative views aligning with those of Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr, sharing his criticism of Covid pandemic measures and vaccine scepkticism.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary called Prasad, who had taken up the post of director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research only in May, an 'impeccable scientist'.

After he took over in May, Prasad and Makary had announced new COVID-19 vaccine policies, limiting their use to those over 65 or at high risk, with further studies required for younger populations.

Dr Vinay Prasad resigned in the wake of gene therapy drug controversy

Prasad came under scrutiny for having cracked down on Sarepta Therapeutics due to deaths linked to its gene therapy drug Elevidys. After initially halting its use, Prasad later allowed it for some lower-risk children.

Amid the controversies, Prasad was labelled by a section of the media as a Bernie Sanders acolyte.

More about Dr Vinay Prasad who left FDA vaccine job

Vinayak "Vinay" Kashyap Prasad is a hematologist-oncologist and health researcher, and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at University of California San Fransico (UCSF).
Before joining the FDA, he was a prominent UCSF oncologist known for his research on cancer drugs, health policy, and financial conflicts in drug approvals. He is the author of the books Ending Medical Reversal (2015) and Malignant (2020) and hosts the podcast, Plenary Session. Born to Indian immigrant parents, Prasad is known for challenging lax FDA approval standards.

Dr Vinay Prasad life and career

Prasad was raised near Cleveland, Ohio, and northern Indiana and graduated from Michigan State University in 2005 with a double major in philosophy and physiology. He earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago in 2009 and did a Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins in 2014. He completed oncology and hematology fellowships at the National Cancer Institute and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Prasad worked as an assistant and associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University (2015–2020), before becoming a full professor at UCSF.

Dr Vinay Prasad is known for controversial stances on medical issues

In 2021, Prasad compared the US COVID-19 response to Nazi Germany’s Third Reich. Like RFK Jr, he publicly highlighted the risks of COVID vaccines, particularly for children. He was also part of a group opposing school quarantines and mask mandates during the pandemic, advocating repeal of such measures.

In an article in 2022, he accused public health organisations of dishonesty, drawing criticism.