U.S. replaces director of agency overseeing COVID-19 vaccines, drugs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday it has replaced Rick Bright as director of a key U.S. agency charged with developing drugs and vaccines for COVID-19.

Bright, who was director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) since 2016, has been moved to a new public-private partnership under the National Institutes of Health announced last week, according to a Health and Human Services representative. BARDA serves under the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Under Bright's leadership, BARDA recently announced nearly $1 billion in support of vaccine manufacturing efforts by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Bright, an expert in vaccines and therapeutics, will be replaced by Gary Disbrow, his former deputy, who will serve as acting director of BARDA. The change was first reported by STAT news.