The acting leader of the FDA division that regulates prescription and over-the-counter drugs is leaving her post, a senior FDA official confirmed to CBS News, adding to recent high-level turnover at the agency.
Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg, who had served as acting director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) since December, oversaw the office that reviews applications for new medicines. Høeg previously advised former FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary.
Høeg wrote on social media that she had been fired from the role but did not provide further details. “I’m incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity to serve this country & proud of the work we did,” she said, adding praise for FDA staff and saying she left with no regrets. A Health and Human Services spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters first reported the news of her departure.
Her exit comes three days after Makary resigned as FDA commissioner amid reports of internal tensions at the agency. News accounts and sources cited disagreements over the agency’s recent decision to approve flavored e-cigarettes; one source told CBS News that Makary opposed approving flavored products but was overruled by other administration officials, a dispute that contributed to his departure.
The agency has also seen other recent departures. Dr. Vinay Prasad, who led the office that handles vaccine approvals, left the agency last month after briefly leaving and then returning last summer.
Høeg’s appointment to lead CDER drew immediate controversy inside the FDA because of her past statements and positions on vaccines. CBS News previously reported that she helped write a memo last year that linked several child deaths to the COVID-19 vaccine without providing supporting data, and that she was involved in a contested effort to reduce the number of recommended childhood immunizations. Those actions alarmed some senior agency officials; one internal source described her placement in the role as highly disruptive.
At the same time, Høeg has said she recognizes the effectiveness of some vaccines, including the measles shot, and insisted upon her commitment to science-driven decision-making when she was confirmed. In official remarks at the time, she pledged transparency, honesty and decisions grounded in rigorous science while seeking to streamline important changes.
The FDA did not immediately provide details about who will lead CDER next or whether Høeg will remain at the agency in another capacity. The departures of Makary, Høeg and other senior officials mark a period of rapid change and intensified scrutiny for the FDA as it navigates high-profile public health and regulatory decisions.