Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine regulator who played a pivotal role in COVID-19 vaccine development, has been forced to resign following a bitter dispute with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to reports. Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research since 2016, submitted his resignation Friday after being given an ultimatum to quit or be fired. His departure comes amid growing concerns about the politicization of science under Kennedy’s leadership, as evidenced by a worsening measles outbreak that has already claimed two lives and infected over 500 Americans this year, primarily in Texas.
In a scathing resignation letter obtained by multiple media outlets, Marks accused Kennedy of prioritizing “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies” over scientific integrity. “It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary,” Marks wrote, expressing particular alarm about the erosion of public confidence in vaccines. The HHS responded sharply, stating Marks “has no place at FDA” if unwilling to support Kennedy’s vision of “radical transparency” part of broader plans to eliminate 10,000 positions across health agencies including the FDA and CDC.
The dramatic exit of one of America’s most respected vaccine experts marks a watershed moment for federal health agencies now led by Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic known for promoting debunked medical claims. Public health experts warn the departure could undermine critical immunization programs as the nation faces its worst measles outbreak in years, with 400 cases reported in Texas alone. Marks, who joined the FDA in 2012 and helped steer the pandemic response, will leave his post on April 5.
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