Six former FDA officials explain why they left the agency during the Trump era

STAT's weekly video series STATus Report recently featured a road-trip edition in which reporter Lizzy Lawrence traveled to the Washington suburbs to talk with former FDA staff.

The interviews included the former director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Richard Pazdur, a senior leader from the biologics center, Sheryl Lard-Whiteford, and Julie Tierney, who worked on Operation Warp Speed, among others.

All six officials said they left the agency during the second Trump administration, citing a shift in agency culture, political pressure, and changes in leadership that made their work environment less supportive.

Their accounts highlight how broader political dynamics can affect talent retention at the FDA, a factor that may influence the agency's ability to oversee drug and biologic approvals.