The Trump administration is considering appointing Houman Hemmati, MD, PhD, to lead the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, The Washington Post reported April 14.
Dr. Hemmati, an ophthalmologist, has served in various industry roles, including an adjunct clinical assistant professor at USC Keck School of Medicine, and top positions in Vyluma, a company that develops eye drops, and Optigo Biotherapeutics, which creates treatments for neovascular and degenerative retinal diseases.
According to three people familiar with the matter, Dr. Hemmati is favored by FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD. The health department has been searching since March for a new leader to replace Vinay Prasad, MD, who is set to leave the position at the end of April.
Dr. Prasad joined the agency in 2025 on a one-year sabbatical from the University of California, San Francisco. During his tenure as director, he oversaw the implementation of several initiatives, including a 2-to-1 trial requirement for drug approvals, the creation of a national priority review system, a new COVID-19 vaccine framework and a “plausible mechanism” pathway for ultra-rare diseases. Dr. Prasad had initially resigned in July amid criticism from advocacy groups related to his stance on certain drug approvals before returning in August at the agency’s request.
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