The head of CDER resigns after being implicated in allegations of retaliation and corruption.
The head of CDER resigns after being implicated in reprisals and corruption.
The context of the resignation
The Food and Drug Administration 's (FDA) top drug regulator, Dr. George Tidmarsh, has announced his resignation.
Appointed in June 2025 to head the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), associated with the FDA, he is stepping down after damning revelations published by the Wall Street Journal.
The article claims that he led a "revenge campaign" against a former colleague.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), headed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had already suspended him, citing "serious concerns about his personal conduct".
Heavy accusations
According to the complaint filed in Maryland by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, Tidmarsh accepted bribes and defamed the company on social networks.
The case arose after he posted on LinkedIn that voclosporin, a kidney drug, "has not demonstrated direct clinical benefit for patients". This public post, unusual for an FDA executive, quickly sparked a reaction from the pharmaceutical industry.
A message published with far-reaching consequences
The repercussions were immediate: Aurinia's shares fell by 20%, wiping out over $350 million in market capitalization.
HHS reacted swiftly, recalling in a statement that Secretary RFK. Jr. expects the highest ethical standards from his employees and is committed to "total transparency" in this matter.
Conflict of interest behind resignation
According to the Wall Street Journal, the affair had personal motivations: Tidmarsh sought revenge on Kevin Tang, chairman of Aurinia's board of directors, who had forced him to leave a previous company.
The scandal raises questions about the Kennedy administration's internal management, and could undermine the Health Department reforms launched earlier this year.