Under Vinay Prasad, employees at a key FDA center fear speaking out, look for the exits Prasad is contending with slumping morale as senior leaders quit CBER By Lizzy LawrenceOct. 31, 2025

https://www.statnews.com/2025/10/31/vinay-prasad-fda-cber-management-issues-insiders-say/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_y8k5S3IjVh03QuCMdQhjP-h--yYZBPryAPOnZga3ALOHof4jClTFaa9o33_RTQFEAZWOtOQYMwqNWUQ4ZpZmHIExR7g&_hsmi=387732612&utm_content=387732612&utm_source=hs_email Vinay Prasad’s tumultuous tenure at the Food and Drug Administration has entered a new, even rockier era: a slow-boiling feud with his staff that could lead to the exodus of dozens of scientists who regulate the nation’s vaccines, biological products, and blood supply. Insiders say Prasad, as director and chief medical and scientific officer for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, has cultivated a work environment rife with mistrust and paranoia since returning from his brief departure. They say Prasad has fired key leaders without explanation and struggled to communicate with staff. They also say his vision for the center, other than applying additional scrutiny to vaccines, is unclear. Another fantastic story from STAT’s Lizzy Lawrence, who interviewed more than 15 current and former FDA staff, contractors, and regulatory experts about Prasad’s rocky tenure. Read on for why his second stint at the CBER has been even more chaotic than his first.