The acting head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's drug center, Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg, is expected to leave the agency just days after Commissioner Marty Makary resigned, according to three people familiar with internal planning.
Hoeg, an epidemiologist and sports physician who cast doubt on COVID vaccines during the pandemic, helped lead the effort to overhaul the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule, reducing recommended shots from 17 to 11 in January.
Those changes were put on hold due to a lawsuit challenging vaccine policy reforms under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.
"HHS and FDA do not comment on personnel matters," said HHS spokeswoman Emily Hilliard.
The decision has not yet been finalized. Hoeg was not immediately available for comment.
Her departure would come amid a broader shake-up at the Department of Health and Human Services, with the White House exerting more control as polls suggest Kennedy's vaccine policy rewrites could impact the November midterm elections.
