The Food and Drug Administration logo before a news conference at Health and Human Services Headquarters in Washington, April 22, 2025.
Natan Posner | Anadolu | fake images
The US Food and Drug Administration is reorganizing its top regulators of drugs and biologics, according to a memo seen by CNBC, days after the departure of former Commissioner Marty Makary.
The acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Tracy Beth Høeg, and the acting director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Katherine Szarama, will leave their roles, according to the memo. The two divisions are responsible for regulating prescription drugs, including pills and vaccines.
Szarama will remain with the agency, according to the memo. Høeg in a post on X said she was fired. Michael Davis will replace Høeg at CDER and Karim Mikhail will replace Szarama at CBER. Lowell Zeta will take over as acting chief of staff. As of Friday evening, an organizational chart on the FDA website was updated to reflect those changes.
The restructuring caps a tumultuous week at the FDA, responsible for regulating products that account for about 20% of consumer spending in the United States. Makary resigned after days of reports that President Donald Trump wanted to fire the commissioner. And it's the latest change at an agency that has struggled with turnover under the second Trump administration.
Davis becomes one of several people who have led CDER since last January. CBER has also seen multiple faces at work over the past year, including Vinay Prasad, who left the division and then returned to leave again after a series of controversies.
The Trump administration hopes to name a new candidate for permanent commissioner within weeks, a senior administration official told CNBC this week. That person would need to be confirmed by the Senate. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is trying to fill health vacancies, including the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the surgeon general.
Correction: Michael Davis will replace Høeg at CDER and Karim Mikhail will replace Szarama at CBER. An earlier version incorrectly identified their roles.
