A senior official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Peter Marks, resigned on Friday, becoming the third high-ranking FDA leader to step down this year, as the measles outbreak in the U.S. worsens.
In his resignation letter addressed to Acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner, Dr. Marks criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for spreading “misinformation and lies” about vaccines, especially regarding measles immunization.
Marks Speaks Out Against Vaccine Misinformation
“It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary,” Marks wrote.
He expressed serious concern over Kennedy’s stance on vaccines and said that efforts to question vaccine safety are dangerous, especially during an outbreak.
Dr. Marks also called out the lack of strong public support for measles vaccinations, saying:
“It is unconscionable with measles outbreaks to not have a full-throated endorsement of measles vaccinations.”
Marks’ Legacy at the FDA
Dr. Peter Marks joined the FDA in 2012 and was appointed director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in 2016. He played a critical role in Operation Warp Speed during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping lead the national vaccination campaign.
He was also responsible for ensuring the safety of the U.S. blood supply, and advancing cell and gene therapies.
According to sources quoted by The Washington Post, Marks was pressured to resign or be fired.
Growing Concerns Over Vaccine Skepticism
Earlier this week, it was reported that David Geier, a known vaccine skeptic, was selected to lead a federal study on autism and vaccines. Marks strongly opposed this move, stating clearly:
“The vaccine very simply does not cause autism, nor is it associated with encephalitis or death.”
While Kennedy has said he is not “anti-vaccine” but “pro-safety,” his public suggestions that measles vaccines are a personal choice and that vitamin A can be used as treatment have been criticized by public health experts. Vitamin A can help after infection, but it cannot replace vaccination, especially when it comes to prevention.
A Pattern of Resignations
Dr. Marks is now the third senior FDA official to resign this year. The agency’s drug chief Patrizia Cavazzoni and human foods chief Jim Jones also stepped down earlier.
Marks said he had tried to engage with the public and address concerns through meetings and collaborations with scientific bodies like the National Academy of Sciences. However, he believes the scientific truth is being ignored in today’s political environment.
“The unprecedented assault on scientific truth has adversely impacted public health in our nation,” he said. “I hope it comes to an end.”