US FDA Vaccine Chief Dr. Vinay Prasad to Step Down in April, Return to Academia

Dr. Vinay Prasad, head of the US FDA's vaccine and gene therapy division, will leave the agency at the end of April to return to academia at the University of California, San Francisco. Appointed in May last year, Prasad implemented several reforms and oversaw a record number of approvals. His tenure included controversies over vaccine reviews and safety claims, leading to a brief departure last July before returning with FDA Commissioner Marty Makary's support. A successor will be named before his departure.