WASHINGTON — Vinay Prasad, a prominent academic and critic of mainstream medical practices, has been appointed as the new director of the Food and Drug Administration center responsible for regulating vaccines, gene therapies, and the blood supply. Prasad, formerly an epidemiology professor at the University of California, San Francisco, has been vocal in his past criticisms of the FDA, including the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which he will now head. Following reports of his appointment, the S&P Biotech ETF experienced extended losses, dropping more than 6%.
— new from statnews.com
