FDA Drug Center Director Resigns Amid Conduct Investigation and Lawsuit
Dr. George Tidmarsh, head of the FDA's drug center, resigned following an investigation into his personal conduct and a lawsuit alleging defamatory statements against Aurinia Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. George Tidmarsh, appointed in July as director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, resigned on Sunday amid an investigation into "serious concerns about his personal conduct," according to a government spokesperson.
The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of General Counsel was notified of the issues, leading to Tidmarsh being placed on leave on Friday. He tendered his resignation two days later. HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard stated, "Secretary Kennedy expects the highest ethical standards from all individuals serving under his leadership and remains committed to full transparency."
Concurrently, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals filed a lawsuit alleging that Tidmarsh made "false and defamatory statements" during his tenure at the FDA. The company claims that Tidmarsh used his position to pursue a "longstanding personal vendetta" against Kevin Tang, the chair of Aurinia's board of directors. Tang had previously been involved in Tidmarsh's removal from leadership positions at other pharmaceutical companies.
In September, Tidmarsh posted on LinkedIn that one of Aurinia's products had "not been shown to provide a direct clinical benefit for patients," leading to a 20% drop in the company's stock value. He later deleted the post, stating it was made in a personal capacity.
Tidmarsh's resignation is the latest in a series of leadership changes at the FDA, which has experienced multiple high-profile departures and controversial decisions in recent months.