
Indian-origin Vinay Prasad becomes US' top vaccine official. Who is he? Why is he controversial?
Dr Vinay Prasad will be FDA's top vaccine regulator.
— DrMakaryFDA (@DrMakaryFDA)
Prasad's criticism of US health policies
Who is Vinay Prasad? His early life
Controversial oncoologist-haematologist Vinay Prasad will be the FDA's top vaccine regulator. Apart from his extensive research and contribution in the field of oncology, he is known for his scathing remarks against the FDA and US health policies.FDA Commissioner Martin Makary announced Prasad's appointment as the new director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which oversees review of vaccines, blood products and some genetic medicines.'Dr Prasad brings the kind of scientific rigor, independence, and transparency we need at CBER—a significant step forward,' Makary wrote in a post on the social media site X.In recent years, Prasad has become a regular on podcasts associated with Health Secretary Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' movement.During the pandemic, Dr Prasad found fault with social distancing and expressed doubt over vaccine for children. He also criticized Donald Trump during the pandemic for taking disproven medicines to prevent the spread of the virus and for refusing to use facemasks at the White House.He freely expresses his opinion in X, his Substack called Sensible Medicine and the podcast The Plenary Session. He is the author of the books "Malignant: How Bad Policy and Bad Evidence Harm People with Cancer" and "Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives."Born in the US to immigrant parents, Dr Prasad's early life was in Ohio and Chicago. He went to Michigan State University, where he took courses in health care ethics and physiology. He completed his medical degree at the University of Chicago in 2009 and completed a residency in internal medicine at Northwestern University in 2012. From 2015 to 2020, Prasad was assistant and then associate professor at the Oregon Health & Science University. He currently works at San Francisco General Hospital. Prasad is currently a full professor of hematology-oncology at UCSF.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
New ‘weight-loss' drugs have lower impact in real life compared to clinical trial results: study
A recent study done in the U.S. showed that semaglutide and tirzepatide — injectable GLP-1 drugs for obesity — produce lower weight loss in a real-world setting, than during the clinical trial, because patients discontinue treatment or use lower maintenance dosages. The results were published by researchers from the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, U.S., in the peer-reviewed journal Obesity on June 10. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are FDA-approved medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management and are now also available in India. Hamlet Gasoyan et al accessed electronic health record data from a large health system in Ohio and Florida to identify adults with overweight or obesity without type 2 diabetes who started with injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide between 2021 and 2023. They recorded early discontinuation (within 3 months) and late discontinuation (within 3–12 months) along with weight reduction. The researchers observed that treatment discontinuation and use of lower maintenance dosages might reduce the likelihood of achieving clinically-meaningful weight reduction in patients on these drugs. Researchers also identified the factors associated with higher odds of achieving a weight loss of 10% or more, after one year of treatment — continuing medications or discontinuing late (vs. early), taking a high maintenance dosage, getting tirzepatide (vs. semaglutide) and were female (vs. male). Commenting on the results of the study, V. Mohan, senior diabetologist, and chairman, Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialties Centre, Chennai, who has initiated patients on weight-loss drugs, says: 'The findings are not surprising because in a randomised clinical trial (RCT), there is constant follow up with the participants to continue with the drug regimen. On the other hand, in the real world, especially if patients buy their own medication, they often stop the drug. Even otherwise, compliance rates in real world are much poorer than in an RCT. The bottom line is that these drugs work as long as they are taken. That is how it is with most drugs, if you stop statins, for instance, cholesterol levels go up; if you stop anti-diabetic drugs or BP drugs, the sugar and BP go up.' 'A reality check' Anoop Misra, who heads Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences in Delhi, who has also put his patients on these class of drugs, says: 'This study gives us a reality check of weight loss and blood sugar lowering effects of these drugs. It is important to note that discontinuation of such drugs is likely to be more in India, driven also by cost concerns. Non-compliance to diet and exercise are additional reasons to be considered in India which may cause lower weight loss.' 'Our findings about the real-world use patterns of these medications and associated clinical outcomes could inform the decisions of healthcare providers and their patients on the role of treatment discontinuation and maintenance dosage in achieving clinically meaningful weight reductions,' said Dr. Gasoyan.


Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
NIH scientists speak out over estimated $12 billion in Trump funding cuts
Los Angeles: Dozens of scientists, researchers and other employees at the U.S. National Institutes of Health issued a rare public rebuke Monday criticizing the Trump administration for major spending cuts that "harm the health of Americans and people across the globe," politicize research and "waste public resources." More than 60 current employees sent their letter to NIH director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya , U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and members of Congress who oversee NIH. Bhattacharya is scheduled to testify Tuesday at the U.S. Senate appropriations committee about his agency's budget. Overall, more than 340 current and recently terminated NIH employees signed the letter, about 250 of them anonymously. In their letter, NIH staff members said the agency had terminated 2,100 research grants totaling about $9.5 billion and an additional $2.6 billion in contracts since President Donald Trump took office Jan. 20. The contracts often support research, from covering equipment to nursing staff working on clinical trials. These terminations "throw away years of hard work and millions of dollars" and put patient health at risk, the letter said. NIH clinical trials "are being halted without regard to participant safety, abruptly stopping medications or leaving participants with unmonitored device implants." Officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees NIH, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In prior remarks, Bhattacharya has pledged support for Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again agenda, and he has said that means focusing the federal government's "limited resources" directly on combating chronic diseases. At his Senate confirmation hearings in March, Bhattacharya said he would ensure scientists working at NIH and funded by the agency have the necessary resources to meet its mission. NIH is the world's largest public funder of biomedical research and has long enjoyed bipartisan support from U.S. lawmakers. The Trump administration has proposed cutting $18 billion, or 40%, from NIH's budget next year, which would leave the agency with $27 billion. Nearly 5,000 NIH employees and contractors have been laid off under Kennedy's restructuring of U.S. health agencies, according to NIH staff. Dr. Jenna Norton, a program director within NIH's division of kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases, was one of 69 current employees who signed the letter as of early Monday. She said speaking out publicly was worth the risk to her career and family. "I am much more worried about the risks of not speaking up," Norton said. "There are very real concerns that we're being asked to do likely illegal activities, and certainly unethical activities that breach our rules." About 20 NIH employees who were recently terminated as probationary workers or "subject to reductions in force" added their names to the letter. In the letter, Norton and other NIH employees asked Bhattacharya to restore grants that were delayed or terminated for political reasons, where officials ignored peer review to "cater to political whims." They wrote that Bhattacharya had failed to uphold his legal duty to spend congressionally appropriated funds. One program director at the NIH's National Cancer Institute, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, said she has repeatedly been asked to cancel research grants for no valid reason and in violation of agency rules. She said she fears she could become the target of lawsuits from grantees challenging those decisions. Dr. Benjamin Feldman, a staff scientist and core director at NIH's Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said he and other researchers want to work with Bhattacharya on reversing the cuts and restoring the NIH as a "beacon for science around the world." "This is really a hit to the whole enterprise of biomedical research in the United States," Feldman said. Dr. Ian Morgan, a postdoctoral fellow at the NIH, signed the letter and said he has heard from university researchers about patients losing access to novel cancer treatments in clinical trials due to the uncertainty over NIH funding. He also worries about the long-term effect from gutting NIH's investment in basic science research that can lead to lifesaving treatments years later. The NIH employees, based in Bethesda, Maryland, named their dissent the "Bethesda Declaration," modeled after Bhattacharya's Great Barrington Declaration in 2020 that called on public health officials to roll back lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our hope is that by modeling ourselves after the Great Barrington Declaration that maybe he'll see himself in our dissent," Norton said.


Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Salmonella egg recall alert: 1.7M eggs yanked off shelves as outbreak sickens dozens in multistate health crisis
Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs sickens dozens across seven U.S. states- A salmonella outbreak linked to eggs has made at least 79 people sick across seven states, triggering a massive recall of 1.7 million eggs sold under multiple brands. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the outbreak is tied to brown organic and brown cage-free eggs distributed by August Egg Company, based in Hilmar, California. The affected eggs were sold between February 3 and May 15, 2025, at major grocery stores like Walmart, Ralphs, Safeway, Save Mart, FoodMaxx, and Raley's across several states. With 21 hospitalizations and a large number of cases concentrated in California, federal officials are urging consumers to check their egg cartons immediately. Where were the eggs sold? The recalled eggs were distributed to stores in at least nine states , including: California Nevada Arizona Illinois Indiana Washington Wyoming New Mexico Nebraska Retailers affected include Walmart, Safeway, Raley's, Food 4 Less, Lucky, Save Mart , and others. Distribution occurred between February 3 and May 15, 2025 , depending on the region. How many people have gotten sick and where are the cases concentrated? According to the CDC, at least 79 people have become ill, and 21 of them were hospitalized due to salmonella infections linked to the recalled eggs. The majority of cases—63—were reported in California, followed by Nevada and Washington State with 4 cases each. Additional cases were found in Arizona, Kentucky, Nebraska, and New Jersey. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported so far. Live Events Scope of the outbreak 79 confirmed illnesses across seven states (AZ, CA, IL, IN, NE, NV, WA, WY, NM)—with symptom onset between Feb 24 and May 17, 2025, 21 hospitalizations , though no deaths reported . Cases span age 1 to 90 , median age 48; 59% female , 41% male ; majority (94%) are White. Around 90% of interviewed patients reported eating eggs before falling ill. Which egg brands are affected by the salmonella outbreak? The recall involves multiple brown organic and cage-free egg brands distributed by August Egg Company. These eggs have sell-by dates ranging from March 4 to June 19, 2025, and were sold in both local grocery stores and Walmart locations across California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, New Mexico, Wyoming, Illinois, Indiana, and Nebraska. Customers are encouraged to check the plant number codes and brand names listed on the FDA and CDC websites to confirm if their eggs are part of the recall. Quick data snapshot Metric Value Confirmed cases 79 Hospitalizations 21 Deaths 0 Recall size 1.7 million dozen eggs Affected brands Over 20 (Clover, Raleys, Sunnyside…) States (illness) AZ, CA, IL, IN, NE, NV, WA, WY, NM Distribution period Feb 3 – May 15 (varied by region) Egg codes P-6562 or CA‑5330; Julian dates 032–126 What should consumers do if they have recalled eggs at home? The CDC strongly advises against eating any of the recalled eggs. Instead, they recommend throwing them away or returning them to the store where they were bought. People should also wash all surfaces and items that may have come into contact with the recalled eggs using hot, soapy water or clean them in a dishwasher to prevent further spread of bacteria. What you should do now Check your egg cartons —look for plant codes P‑6562 or CA‑5330 , and sell-by dates matching March 4–June 19 . Discard or return any matching eggs immediately. Clean and disinfect all surfaces and utensils that touched the eggs. Watch for symptoms and consult a healthcare provider if you experience them. What steps has August Egg Company taken to contain the outbreak? In a statement to the FDA, August Egg Company said it launched the voluntary recall 'out of an abundance of caution' to protect consumers who might still have the contaminated eggs at home. They explained that once the issue was identified, they began diverting all eggs from the affected plant to a pasteurizing facility, where eggs are heat-treated to kill any harmful bacteria. The company also confirmed it is conducting an internal review to strengthen safety protocols and avoid similar incidents in the future. What are the symptoms of salmonella and who is most at risk? Salmonella typically causes symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, which can last between 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment, but in severe cases—especially among children under 5, seniors over 65, and those with weakened immune systems—hospitalization may be necessary. Every year, salmonella sickens an estimated 1.35 million people in the U.S., according to CDC data. How did the outbreak get traced back to the eggs? During an FDA inspection of a processing facility operated by August Egg Company, tests revealed a strain of salmonella that closely matched the one found in people who had fallen ill. This direct link helped investigators identify the eggs as the source of the outbreak and prompted the recall. FAQs: How do I check if my eggs are in the salmonella outbreak recall? Match the plant code and sell-by date on your brown organic or cage-free carton with the FDA recall list. What should I do if I ate recalled eggs linked to the salmonella outbreak? Monitor for fever, diarrhea or stomach cramps within 6–72 hours and call a doctor if symptoms appear.