FDA Drug Chief Resigns Amidst Controversy and Legal Battles

Dr George Tidmarsh, head of the FDA's drug centre, resigned after federal officials began investigating serious personal conduct concerns. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals filed a lawsuit, accusing him of leveraging his position for a personal vendetta against its board chair. The incident is part of ongoing leadership instability at the FDA.

In a surprising turn of events, Dr George Tidmarsh, head of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, resigned after serious personal conduct concerns led to a federal investigation.

The resignation coincides with a lawsuit filed by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, claiming Tidmarsh made defamatory statements to pursue a personal vendetta against Kevin Tang, the company's board chair. Tidmarsh, who has a storied career in California's pharmaceutical sector, joined the FDA in July but departed amid the swirling controversy.

This latest leadership upheaval adds to the FDA's ongoing challenges, marked by a series of leadership changes and significant staff losses at its drug review division.

(With inputs from agencies.)