One of the attractions of the campaign of President Donald J. Trump was to restore policies that the American people support. Many Americans feel alienated from their own government because they see an unresponsive federal government full of bureaucrats who push an ideology that does not benefit average Americans. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hitting some speed bumps in implementing the Trump campaign agenda, and the personnel within the agency seem to be the problem.
The FDA’s purpose is to protect public health by assessing the safety, effectiveness, and security of products, including lifesaving drugs. In 2018, the President promoted and signed into law the “Right to Try” law that made it easier to get drugs to patients who are desperate to get access to drugs that might save their lives. One problem is that the FDA, under the Biden Administration and continuing with some obstruction during the first few months of the Trump Administration, has not expedited experimental treatments to those who are terminally ill.
The fact of the matter is that people who are serving in the Trump Administration should reflect the views of the President. President Trump ended up firing Vinay Prasad, who oversaw the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA, because he was obstructing the Trump agenda. Initially, Prasad engendered support of conservatives according to The Washington Post for “challenging the public health establishment during the covid pandemic.” It appears that the initial gloss wore off when he took office, and his actions evidenced policies that obstructed access to life-saving drugs.
While Prasad was in office, there was a critique that he had made several contentious decisions rejecting drug applications. Pharmexec reported on July 30, 2025, “during Prasad’s tenure, the FDA placed restrictions on Sarepta Therapeutics’ gene therapy, Elevidys, due to multiple deaths in patients taking the drug.” That decision was overturned when a “death that was initially attributed to Elevidys turned out to have no role in the patient’s death.” The report also cited “another contentious decision made during Prasad’s tenure was a Complete Response Letter (CRL) for a BLA from Replimune for RP1, an advanced melanoma treatment,” that came as a shock to the company because issues that were raised in a Complete Response Letter (CRL) “were not brough to (the company’s) attention during mid- and late-cycle reviews.” Prasad was let go thanks to these and other controversial decisions.
Prasad is an individual who was obstructing the Trump agenda from within the Administration and somebody who did not share the philosophy of the Trump Administration as embodied in the Right to Try law. Laura Loomer was quoted in The Washington Post, citing a source in the Trump Administration describing Prasad as “one of the worst offenders as it relates to pushing a hardcore progressive Democrat agenda against the Trump administration.” In addition, Prasad actively opposed the re-election of President Trump. Any Administration should be populated with staff who support the agenda of the President.
Now, many are worried that Marty Makary, the Commissioner of the FDA, is a problem. Makary hired Prasad and described him in a WSJ podcast as a man with “not a political bone to his body.” Yet, Laura Loomer conducted some research and found a bevy of political takes by Prasad, including “I am a political liberal, closest to Elizabeth Warren!” and “I am a Bernie Sanders supporter who wrote 2 books on strengthening the regulatory state.” It appears that Makary either didn’t know the political leanings of Prasad, or he is being disingenuous to get him back helping advise the FDA in some capacity.
The FDA needs to protect the health and safety of Americans, but bureaucratic obstruction and a very slow process to approve drugs are something the American people want addressed during this Administration. With all the challenges the American people face today, the last thing they want is progressive bureaucrats slowing down good policy. The canning of Prasad was an important decision, but more needs to be done.
The bottom line is that this Administration should be populated with staff who support President Trump’s priorities, vision, and values. Voters did not put Trump into office to have Bernie Sanders supporters obstruct the Trump agenda from within. Conservatives have hope that the FDA will right the ship and get back to work supporting innovation that will provide those with terminal illness and other life-threatening illnesses with the treatments they desire.
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