FDA’s Leading Vaccine Expert Resigns, Blaming Kennedy’s ‘Misinformation and Lies
Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s leading vaccine regulator, has resigned, according to a Health and Human Services (HHS) official on Friday. His departure follows tensions with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic. An HHS spokesperson stated, “If Peter Marks does not support restoring science to its highest standard and embracing radical transparency, he has no role at the FDA under Secretary Kennedy’s bold leadership.” Sources suggest Marks was pressured to leave, a claim supported by a person familiar with the situation who spoke to NBC News.
In his resignation letter to acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner, Marks condemned efforts to erode trust in vaccines, calling them “irresponsible, harmful to public health, and a direct threat to national health and security.” He expressed willingness to collaborate with Kennedy to address vaccine safety concerns transparently. However, he accused the secretary of rejecting truth in favor of “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.” Marks, who led the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research since 2016, did not respond to requests for comment.
Marks was instrumental during the Covid-19 pandemic, overseeing the authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in late 2020 as part of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s initiative to accelerate vaccine development. His division ensured the safety and efficacy of various medical products, including vaccines. In contrast, Kennedy, an anti-vaccine advocate, has long criticized Covid vaccines, labeling them the “deadliest vaccine ever made” in 2021 and filing a petition to revoke their FDA authorization.
Kennedy has also questioned the measles vaccine’s safety amid the worst U.S. outbreak since 2019. While acknowledging its protective role, he frames vaccination as a “personal” choice and recently told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine “causes deaths every year.” The Infectious Disease Society of America refutes this, noting no deaths linked to MMR in healthy individuals; it’s not recommended for immunocompromised people.
In his letter, Marks highlighted the Texas measles outbreak as evidence of the dangers of undermining scientific trust. “Measles, which claimed over 100,000 unvaccinated children’s lives in Africa and Asia last year due to complications like pneumonitis and encephalitis, had been eradicated here,” he wrote. His exit underscores a deepening rift between evidence-based public health policy and Kennedy’s controversial stance, raising concerns about the FDA’s future direction.
