FDA cliffhanger: Will Marty Makary stay or go?

The Food and Drug Administration was supposed to be the dull and predictable part of President Trump's health bureaucracy. Instead, it's become the soap opera whose cliffhangers leave entire industries in suspense — most recently Friday's drama over reports that commissioner Marty Makary was about to be booted out. Why it matters: The FDA regulates about one-fifth of the U.S. economy, so organizational disarray , surprise policy moves and political interference can cause real disruption. State of play: The Johns Hopkins physician and researcher appeared to have been spared late last week after multiple outlets reported that President Trump had authorized his firing. Under Makary, there's been considerable drama around abortion pills , flavored vapes , vaccine issues and drugs for rare diseases . But he's also made moves to speed up drug approvals and clinical trials and lessen regulatory burdens that will play out in the coming months — whether or not he's around. The intrigue: Asked about reports of Makary's imminent firing on Friday, Trump replied, "I've been reading about it, but I know nothing about it." The White House didn't respond to questions about Makary's status. A White House official told Politico that senior Health and Human Services leaders were pushing for the possible firing, not the White House. All of the reports were hedged with the now-standard reminder that Trump often changes his mind. That's something to keep in mind going forward — because there's no guarantee that Makary's apparent survival won't be reversed, either. Makary is due to testify on the FDA's 2027 budget at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday. What we're watching: If Makary does leave, the expectation is he'll be replaced by a more mainstream figure from inside the FDA. Among the internal candidates mentioned is Kyle Diamantas, the deputy commissioner for food. There's also speculation Trump could bring back a ...

Original source: Axios