FDA Director's Administrative Leave Sparks Controversy

FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research director, George Tidmarsh, was put on administrative leave after questioning the legal basis for a rapid drug approval program. The New York Times reported his concerns, but the FDA has yet to comment on the situation.

The director of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, George Tidmarsh, was placed on administrative leave last Friday, according to The New York Times' Sunday report.

In an interview, Tidmarsh disclosed his suspension was due to raising questions about the legal framework of a new FDA initiative, designed to expedite the approval of certain new drugs.

The FDA has not issued a statement in response to this issue, leaving Tidmarsh's concerns unaddressed publicly.