Washington: The top vaccine official at the US Food and Drug Administration resigned Friday, accusing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of spreading misinformation that puts public health at risk, according to media reports.
According to Anadolu Agency, Dr. Peter Marks, head of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, stepped down after reportedly being told to resign or be dismissed, the New York Times reported. Marks expressed his concerns in a letter to the FDA’s acting commissioner, stating that “truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary.” Instead, Marks claimed, Kennedy seeks “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”
In an interview, Marks criticized Kennedy’s approach, asserting, “This man does not care about the truth. He cares about what is making him followers.” Marks played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing vaccine development and emergency use authorizations. His resignation comes amid growing friction over Kennedy’s public
health strategies, which critics argue undermine trust in vaccines.
Since taking office in February, Kennedy has questioned the effectiveness of vaccines, advocated for vitamin A during a measles outbreak, and appointed a vaccine-skeptical analyst at the CDC. He also proposed the creation of a new vaccine injury agency. Marks condemned these actions, stating, “Undermining confidence in well-established vaccines is irresponsible,” and labeled it “a clear danger to our nation’s health, safety and security.”
In response, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services stated that Marks “had no place” at the FDA if he did not support transparency. Marks, however, revealed that he had tried to work with the administration to restore public trust in vaccines but ultimately concluded, “that’s not what they wanted.” He described his departure as “a weight lifted.”
Colleagues, including Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine, emphasized that Marks’ exit would leave a significant gap in FDA lea
dership.