FDA appoints Katherine Szarama as acting director of vaccines and biologics center

The FDA announced that Katherine Szarama will serve as the acting director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), the agency's unit that oversees vaccines, gene therapies and the blood supply.

Szarma, who joined the FDA last year as deputy to Vinay Prasad, steps into the role after Prasad's departure. Prasad left the agency following a contentious tenure marked by controversial decisions on rare disease drugs and vaccines.

The change was confirmed by a Health and Human Services official and was first reported by Politico. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary previously said Prasad would return to UCSF.