Richard Pazdur, head of the US FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), is set to retire after less than a month in his new role.
Pazdur, previously head of the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence, took on the drug evaluation role on 11 November, succeeding George Tidmarsh. Pazdur’s departure comes at a time of significant changes for the FDA after the appointment of Robert F Kennedy Jr as the US health secretary. The FDA’s vaccine chief, Peter Marks, left in April and was replaced by Vinay Prasad.
After a period of upheaval, it was hoped that Pazdur’s appointment to lead the CDER would bring some much-needed stability to the agency.
Pazdur’s first role at the FDA in 1999 was to lead its Division of Oncology Drug Products, having previously served at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
He became founding director of the Oncology Center of Excellence in 2017, working to advance innovations in cancer treatments.
A spokesperson for the FDA said: “We respect Dr. Pazdur’s decision to retire and honour his 26 years of distinguished service at the FDA.”
As a result of Pazdur’s retirement, both the drug division and the oncology center would have top level vacancies.