U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary speaks during a press conference alongside U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, discussing administration plans to lower drug costs, at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 29, 2025. (Reuters File)
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Trump administration officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have discussed scaling back the role of Marty Makary, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Kennedy considered appointing a leader to run the agency’s daily operations while leaving Makary as a figurehead, amid concerns over infighting among the FDA chief’s deputies, the report said.
However, officials decided to drop the idea for now, giving Makary time to improve his leadership of the agency, the report added.
“The White House maintains total confidence in the entire Health and Human Services and FDA team to deliver on President Trump’s pledge to Make America Healthy Again,” a spokesperson told Reuters, adding that the FDA under Makary has overseen several initiatives aimed at improving public health.
The FDA recently appointed veteran oncology chief Richard Pazdur to oversee the department that regulates over-the-counter and most prescription drugs, replacing George Tidmarsh, who resigned earlier this month amid serious concerns about his personal conduct.
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(Reporting by Anusha Shah in Bengaluru, Editing by Louise Heavens and Andrea Ricci)
