You might be surprised how often people mix this up. It’s not just some bureaucrat in a suit. Right now, as of early 2026, the person sitting at the big desk is Dr. Martin A. Makary, usually just called "Marty."
He took over as the 27th Commissioner of Food and Drugs on April 1, 2025.
Honesty time: the FDA is a massive, $7 billion machine. It regulates about 20 cents of every dollar you spend. Think about that. Everything from the steak in your fridge to the ibuprofen in your cabinet falls under his watch. When people ask who is the head of the food and drug administration, they usually want to know if the person in charge is a "big pharma" guy or a "food safety" hawk. With Makary, it's a bit of a curveball.
The Surgeon Who Went to Washington
Before he was the face of federal regulation, Makary was a heavy hitter at Johns Hopkins. We’re talking about a surgical oncologist who spent his days operating on complex cancers. He wasn’t just a "paper doctor" either. He actually co-developed the Surgery Checklist that’s now used in operating rooms globally to keep patients from dying due to silly mistakes.
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He’s kind of a rebel in the medical world. You’ve probably seen him on the news or read his books like Unaccountable or The Price We Pay. He’s made a career out of calling out the healthcare industry for lack of transparency and high costs.
Why the FDA Leadership Matters Right Now
The transition from the previous head, Dr. Robert Califf, to Makary wasn't just a change of names. It was a shift in philosophy. While Califf was very much a traditionalist with deep ties to clinical trial data and academia, Makary was brought in under the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) banner.
Basically, his mission is focused on:
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- Food Quality: Looking closer at chemicals and additives in the American diet.
- Transparency: Making the data behind drug approvals more accessible.
- Efficiency: Cutting through the red tape that makes it take a decade to get a new life-saving drug to market.
It’s a tall order. The FDA is basically a collection of different "mini-agencies" or Centers. To really understand who is the head of the food and drug administration, you have to look at the people Makary has around him, because no one person can actually run this whole thing alone.
The Power Players Under the Commissioner
Makary doesn't just bark orders. He works with a team of directors who lead specific "Centers." If you’re tracking a new drug or a food recall, these are the names that actually matter:
- Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg: She’s the Acting Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). If you’re waiting on a new pill or cream to be approved, she’s the one overseeing that process.
- Dr. Vinay Prasad: He leads the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). This is where vaccines and gene therapies live. He's been a vocal critic of certain medical practices in the past, so his appointment was a huge deal.
- Kyle Diamantas: As the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, he’s the guy responsible for making sure your lettuce doesn't have E. coli.
- Dr. Michelle Tarver: She heads the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), overseeing everything from pacemakers to X-ray machines.
What’s Different in 2026?
Honestly, the vibe at the FDA has changed. In the past, the agency was often accused of being too cozy with the companies it regulates. Makary has been pushing for a "gold standard of trusted science," but with a heavy dose of common sense.
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He recently testified before Congress about the 2026 budget, where the administration actually proposed some significant cuts to discretionary spending. It’s a bit of a paradox—trying to do more with less while tackling "chronic disease" as a national priority.
One of the most interesting things he's doing? Looking at the Orphan Drug Act and how it’s being used (or misused) by companies to get monopolies on drugs. He’s also been very vocal about "natural immunity" and antimicrobial resistance, topics that were super controversial a few years ago.
How to Stay Informed
If you're trying to keep up with what who is the head of the food and drug administration is actually doing day-to-day, the FDA's public calendar is your best friend. For instance, just this month, Makary was at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) talking about a "New Era of Digital Health." He’s leaning hard into the idea that your watch or your phone might be the next big medical device.
What you should do next:
- Check the FDA Recalls Page: Don't just wonder if your food is safe. The FDA maintains a real-time list of every food and drug recall in the country.
- Follow the "Human Foods Program" updates: If you care about additives like Red 40 or high-fructose corn syrup, Kyle Diamantas’s office is where those decisions are happening now.
- Read "Blind Spots": If you want to understand the current Commissioner's mindset, Makary's latest book explains exactly where he thinks modern medicine has gone wrong.
The FDA isn't just a giant building in Maryland. It’s a moving target. Whether you love the new direction or you're skeptical of the changes, knowing that Dr. Marty Makary is the one steering the ship is the first step in making sense of the headlines.