A new director is in place at the US Food and Drug Administration’s drug center, a sign of growing stability for the agency after a tumultuous year responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
Woodcock Era At CDER Ends: Cavazzoni Becomes Permanent Director Of US FDA’s Drug Center
Patrizia Cavazzoni, who likely represents a somewhat different leadership style for CDER, distinguished herself while leading the center temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In his resignation letter, the CBER director said he was willing to work with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address concerns about vaccine safety, but "it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary."
The April departures of Paul Kluetz and Marc Theoret follow resignations by other senior agency scientific staff and come on top of HHS’ plans to lay off 3,500 FDA employees.
About 3,500 full-time FDA employees are expected to be laid off as part of a restructuring of the Health and Human Services Department and experts questioned whether the cuts could be implemented without harming FDA’s core mission.
The General Services Administration’s updated list of “assets identified for accelerated disposition” does not include any buildings at the agency’s headquarters in White Oak, MD after its original list of “non-core” government properties for disposal had more than half the buildings on campus.
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The General Services Administration’s updated list of “assets identified for accelerated disposition” does not include any buildings at the agency’s headquarters in White Oak, MD after its original list of “non-core” government properties for disposal had more than half the buildings on campus.
FDA staffing cuts are making negotiation preparations more difficult, but also could mean the result is a smaller user fee renewal package.
Stakeholders are pleading for newly confirmed FDA Commissioner Martin Makary to stand up for the agency's high scientific standards and staff as he begins his term.