Dr. Marty Makary is out as FDA commissioner The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the resignation of Dr. Marty Makary as its commissioner, marking the fourth major departure from the Trump administration this year. According to two individuals familiar with the decision, Makary’s exit follows months of tension and dissatisfaction with his leadership at the agency. The move comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the FDA’s regulatory decisions and its alignment with the administration’s priorities. Makary’s departure was linked to his handling of several high-profile issues, including the agency’s authorization of fruit-flavored vapes for adult use. This decision, announced by the FDA last Tuesday, was the result of sustained pressure from the vaping industry and President Donald Trump, who had made the resumption of fruit-flavored e-cigarettes a key part of his 2024 campaign. The approval of these products has drawn criticism from public health advocates, who argue that such flavors contribute to youth vaping rates. Another point of contention was Makary’s handling of the FDA’s review of mifepristone, the abortion medication commonly known as the "abortion pill." During his confirmation process, Makary had pledged to conduct a safety review of the drug, a promise that drew attention from Republican lawmakers. These lawmakers had sought to reverse a Biden-era rule that allowed mifepristone to be mailed and dispensed via telehealth, not just in-person. The Supreme Court recently temporarily allowed mifepristone to remain accessible nationwide after a lower court restricted its use to in-person patients.#food_and_drug_administration #dr_marty_makary #johns_hopkins_hospital #johns_hopkins_school_of_medicine #mifepristone
