Former FDA chief on the case for a more independent agency

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The former head of the Food and Drug Administration says there is a strong case for restructuring the agency to shield it from outside pressure. Dr. Stephen Hahn took over as FDA commissioner just as COVID-19 plunged the agency into a period of political tumult.  His boss, President Donald Trump, repeatedly pressured the FDA to speed up its reviews of experimental drugs and vaccines. And Hahn was criticized for not pushing back harder against many of Trump’s bogus claims. But eventually Hahn defied the White House by refusing to cut corners in FDA’s review of COVID-19 vaccines.