FDA appoints longtime oncology chief to head its Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

• Dr. Richard Pazdur, a 26-year FDA veteran and oncology chief, has been appointed to lead the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) following the abrupt resignation of Dr. George Tidmarsh amid allegations of misconduct and misuse of regulatory authority.
• Tidmarsh, initially praised for his pharmaceutical expertise, resigned in November after being placed on leave due to “serious concerns about his personal conduct,” including accusations of targeting specific companies such as Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, which is now suing him for disparaging its FDA-approved drug.
• Pazdur’s appointment aims to restore stability to CDER during internal restructuring and workforce reductions (down from 6,044 to 4,951 employees), ordered by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to eliminate inefficiency and alleged corruption tied to Big Pharma influence.
• Pazdur, known for expediting cancer drug approvals, is tasked with modernizing the FDA, streamlining drug reviews and upholding scientific integrity – while navigating political pressures and public skepticism over agency transparency.
• While industry leaders like Ellen Sigal endorse Pazdur’s leadership, critics argue that downsizing corrupt bureaucrats could decentralize medical authority, empowering natural health alternatives. Pazdur must balance industry demands for predictability with public trust in drug safety.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has appointed Dr. Richard Pazdur, its longtime oncology chief, to lead the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) following the abrupt resignation of his predecessor.

The move, announced on Nov. 11, places a seasoned 26-year agency veteran at the helm of the FDA’s primary drug review division at a time of significant internal restructuring and seeks to stabilize an office recently rattled by controversy. Pazdur steps into the role immediately, tasked with overseeing the safety and efficacy of most prescription drugs in the United States.

Pazdur takes over the post vacated by Dr. George Tidmarsh, who departed amid an internal investigation into allegations that he misused his regulatory authority. Initially appointed in July with praise from FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, Tidmarsh’s tenure was notably brief and his swift departure was shrouded in uncertainty.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that Tidmarsh had been placed on leave prior to his resignation on Nov. 2 after the department learned of “serious concerns about his personal conduct.” The allegations, as reported, include a claim that Tidmarsh targeted specific companies in his official capacity.

Tidmarsh is currently being sued by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, which accused him of writing on LinkedIn that its drug Lupkynis has “significant toxicity” and lacked proven clinical benefit, despite the drug’s FDA approval in 2021. Tidmarsh did not return requests for comment, but he previously told the New York Times that he believed he was targeted for raising concerns over the FDA’s new national priority review voucher program.

Can Pazdur restore trust in drug approvals?

Pazdur is the founding director of the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence and has been instrumental in launching initiatives designed to expedite cancer drug development. Makary lauded the new CDER director as a “true regulatory innovator” with a “track record of success,” who will help “modernize the agency and streamline the approval process.”

Meanwhile, Pazdur said in a statement that he is ” honored to lead CDER at a time when the FDA is achieving long-sought regulatory reforms.” He expressed his intent to work “closely with Dr. Makary and the medical experts he’s assembled to help our country reach its peak in drug development.”

The leadership transition occurs against a backdrop of significant change within the FDA itself. According to the Epoch Times, CDER’s workforce shrank from 6,044 employees to 4,951 by the end of fiscal year 2025 – a reduction officials attribute to terminations ordered by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as part of a restructuring effort to improve efficiency. Pazdur’s appointment is widely seen as an attempt to instill stability.

BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine notes that government downsizing measures like layoffs can help the FDA by removing corrupt bureaucrats who serve Big Pharma’s interests – allowing for a return to honest, decentralized health freedom and natural medicine. Eliminating these toxic influences would reduce taxpayer waste, restore trust in public health and empower Americans to reclaim their medical sovereignty.

Ellen Sigal, chair and founder of Friends of Cancer Research, endorsed the move, stating: “At a time when the agency faces both extraordinary opportunity and complexity, Rick’s steady leadership and commitment to scientific integrity make him exactly the right person to lead CDER.”

As Pazdur assumes command of one of the FDA’s largest and most critical centers, he carries the weight of an industry demanding predictability and a public relying on the agency’s scientific integrity, all while navigating the ongoing reforms and reductions ordered from above. His leadership will be a definitive test of whether seasoned regulatory stewardship can steady the ship amidst turbulent political and organizational currents.

Watch Jefferey Jaxen and Del Bigtree discussing the FDA’s policy shift on COVID-19, food and chemicals in this clip.

This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

FDA.gov

FiercePharma.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com