A pair of top vaccine regulators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration resigned this week reportedly as a result of growing turmoil and disagreement within the agency as political pressures reportedly complicate the administration's scientific work.
In a report published Tuesday evening, Politico indicated the pair's departure was the result of increasing frustration over the Biden administration's top-down approach to managing the pandemic, specifically as it pertains to administering booster shots for adults:
"POLITICO spoke to 11 current and former health officials and people familiar with the matter who described growing exasperation with the administration's disjointed process for implementing its booster plan. Those sources said there is little coordination between federal health agencies, even as two top FDA officials try to guide the rollout."
Moreover, disagreement over vaccine boosters may not be the only hot-button topic causing discord within the agency. The Hill reported on Monday that FDA regulators are facing "growing pressure to authorize vaccines for children under 12," something the agency has so far been reluctant to do.
