FDA drug center head fired after commissioner's exit

The acting head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's drug center, Tracey Beth Hoeg, said she had been fired from the agency.

Reuters first reported Hoeg was expected to leave the FDA on Friday, just days after Commissioner Marty Makary resigned.

Hoeg, who announced her departure via an X post, is an epidemiologist and sports physician who cast doubt on COVID vaccines during the pandemic.

She also helped lead the effort to overhaul the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule by reducing the number of recommended shots from 17 to 11 in January.

Hoeg's departure comes amid a wider shake-up of the health department. The White House has exerted more control over the department in recent months.

The White House installed Chris Klomp as Kennedy's No. 2, and Klomp has since helped bring in a slate of more conventional nominees for top health positions, such as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Surgeon General.

Since Makary's resignation on Tuesday, Klomp has been pushing to rid the FDA of controversial appointees and replace them with more traditional picks, according to two of the sources.

(Reporting by Anusha Shah in Bengaluru, Editing by Louise Heavens)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 6:56 AM.