If you’re wondering who is the head of the FDA right now, you aren't alone. It’s been a wild year for federal agencies. As of early 2026, the man at the helm of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is Dr. Martin "Marty" Makary.
He isn't your typical career bureaucrat. He’s a surgeon. A researcher. A guy who spent years at Johns Hopkins essentially calling out the medical establishment for being too opaque. Now, he’s the one running the show as the 27th Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
The Senate confirmed him back in March 2025 with a 56-44 vote. Since then, the agency has looked a lot different than it did under previous leadership. Honestly, "different" might be an understatement. It’s been a total overhaul.
The Surgeon Running the Show
Dr. Marty Makary came into the job with a very specific reputation. Before he was the head of the FDA, he was known for his work on the "surgical checklist"—that simple list doctors use to make sure they don't leave a sponge inside a patient or operate on the wrong leg. It sounds basic, but it saved thousands of lives.
He’s a pancreatic surgeon by trade. He’s also a prolific author. You might have seen his books like Unaccountable or Blind Spots on the New York Times bestseller list. His whole thing has always been about transparency and "common sense" medicine.
When President Trump nominated him, the message was clear: they wanted someone to "shake things up." Working alongside HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Makary has been the point man for the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) agenda.
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It’s a massive shift. For decades, the FDA was seen as this slow-moving, ultra-cautious titan. Makary is trying to turn it into something faster, leaner, and—in his words—more skeptical of "big food" and "big pharma."
Who is the Head of the FDA Dealing With Right Now?
Running the FDA isn't just about sitting in a nice office in Silver Spring, Maryland. It’s about managing 18,000+ employees and a budget that touches about 20 cents of every dollar Americans spend.
But that employee count? It’s shrinking. One of the first things that happened under Makary’s leadership was a massive reduction in force. We’re talking about 3,500 people leaving the agency through layoffs, buyouts, and early retirements.
The Leadership Circle
Makary doesn't work in a vacuum. His "inner circle" at the FDA includes:
- Sara Brenner, M.D., M.P.H.: The Principal Deputy Commissioner.
- George Tidmarsh, M.D., Ph.D.: Heading up the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).
- Vinay Prasad, M.D., M.P.H.: Leading the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER).
If those names sound familiar, it’s because they’ve all been vocal critics of the "old way" of doing things. Vinay Prasad, in particular, is well-known in the medical Twitter (X) world for his deep skepticism of certain clinical trial designs.
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Radical Changes: The 2026 Landscape
So, what is the head of the FDA actually doing?
The biggest headline lately has been the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program. Basically, it’s an ultra-fast track for drug approvals. While a standard drug review usually takes 6 to 10 months, Makary’s new plan aims to get some drugs approved in as little as one month.
This has caused a lot of friction. Career scientists at the agency are reportedly worried that 30 days isn't enough time to actually vet a drug for safety. Makary, however, argues that the old process was bogged down by "red tape" that kept life-saving treatments away from patients for no good reason.
He’s also taking a hammer to the food side of the house.
The FDA is currently reviewing the "GRAS" (Generally Recognized as Safe) pathway. This is the loophole that allows food companies to add new chemicals to your snacks without a formal FDA review. Makary and Secretary Kennedy want to shut that down or at least put a very short leash on it. They are looking closely at seed oils, artificial dyes, and pesticides like glyphosate.
Why People are Divided
Depending on who you ask, Marty Makary is either a hero saving us from a bloated bureaucracy or a risky gambler.
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The Supporters say:
- He’s finally tackling the "revolving door" between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies.
- He’s prioritizing "real-world evidence" over perfect, multi-year clinical trials.
- He’s actually looking at what’s in our food, which the FDA has ignored for years.
The Critics say:
- The expedited drug reviews could lead to another Vioxx-style disaster.
- The loss of thousands of experienced staff members is gutting the agency's "institutional memory."
- Bypassing traditional advisory committees reduces public transparency.
What This Means for You
If you’re a patient waiting for a new therapy, you might see it hit the market much faster than it would have in 2023. If you’re a parent worried about Red 40 in your kid’s cereal, you finally have a head of the FDA who is actively trying to ban it.
But it also means the "FDA Approved" stamp carries a different weight than it used to. It’s a faster stamp, but is it a surer one? That’s the debate currently rocking the halls of Washington.
Key Takeaways for 2026:
- Fast-Track Drugs: Keep an eye on the "National Priority Voucher" medicines. These are the ones Makary is pushing through at record speeds.
- Food Labels: Expect to see major changes in how "Healthy" is defined on packaging.
- Staffing Turmoil: The agency is still reorganizing. Expect some delays in routine "low-priority" paperwork as the remaining staff focuses on the new mandates.
If you need to contact the office of the head of the FDA, your best bet is the official FDA.gov portal, though be warned: with the recent "One-in-Ten-Out" executive order on regulations, the agency is currently more focused on removing old rules than answering every individual inquiry.
Moving Forward
To stay updated on what Dr. Makary is doing, you should follow the official FDA Press Announcements page. They’ve started publishing "Complete Response Letters" (the letters they send when they reject a drug) in real-time, which is a huge change for transparency. You can also track the progress of the "Make America Healthy Again" initiatives through the HHS website to see how these food policy changes will actually hit your local grocery store shelves.