Dr. Vinay Prasad, head of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Division of Vaccines and Biotechnology Products
will leave the agency at the end of April, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced on Friday, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Prasad led the division responsible for approving vaccines and biotechnology products for approximately one year. Federal health officials are searching for his replacement, Makary said.
Prasad took a year-long leave from the University of California, San Francisco, to join the FDA. He intended to remain with the agency only for the duration of this leave, Makary said in an interview.
Prasad wanted to help implement a number of new policies at the FDA, all of which have been announced, Makary said. The commissioner noted that Prasad has achieved success and accomplished significant work during his one-year tenure.
Prasad will leave the FDA at the end of April, and federal health officials are conducting a search for his successor.