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United States. Food and Drug Administration

FDA's Top Drug Regulator Resigns Amid Alleged Revenge Campaign

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Dr. George Tidmarsh, the FDA's top drug regulator, has resigned after being accused of soliciting a bribe and tanking a company's stock as part of an alleged revenge plot against a former colleague, Kevin Tang. Tidmarsh was accused in a lawsuit of retaliating against Tang starting in 2019, when Tang asked him to resign as CEO from La Jolla Pharmaceutical. The lawsuit alleged that Tidmarsh sent threatening messages to Tang, tried to solicit a bribe from him, and tried to pull a product from the market produced by American Laboratories. Tidmarsh's actions allegedly led to a 20% drop in Aurinia's stock, wiping out over $350 million in market value, before it later recovered.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. George Tidmarsh, the FDA's top drug regulator, resigned after being accused of soliciting a bribe and tanking a company's stock in an alleged revenge plot against former colleague Kevin Tang.
  • Tidmarsh was accused in a lawsuit of retaliating against Tang starting in 2019, when Tang asked him to resign as CEO from La Jolla Pharmaceutical.
  • The lawsuit alleged that Tidmarsh sent threatening messages to Tang, tried to solicit a bribe from him, and tried to pull a product from the market produced by American Laboratories.
  • Aurinia's stock dropped by 20% within a few hours of Tidmarsh's LinkedIn post criticizing an FDA-approved kidney drug, wiping out over $350 million in market value.
  • Tidmarsh allegedly had a personal vendetta against Tang, who also served on the boards of two other pharmaceutical companies: American Laboratories Holdings, LLC, and Aurinia Pharmaceuticals.
  • The FDA approval process had found that the drug trials had shown a "clinically meaningful benefit," but Tidmarsh later took down the post and denied any wrongdoing.
  • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) placed Tidmarsh on leave after being notified of serious concerns about his personal conduct.
  • HHS spokesperson stated that Tidmarsh hadn't thought about Tang since joining the FDA, despite email messages as recently as December 2024.
  • FDA's chief medical and scientific officer, Dr. Vinay Prasad, had created a "toxic environment" according to Tidmarsh, who claims he tried to get the American Laboratories drug pulled without FDA approval.

Statistics:

  • Aurinia's stock dropped by 20% within a few hours of Tidmarsh's LinkedIn post, wiping out over $350 million in market value.
  • Tidmarsh sent email messages to Tang as recently as December 2024.
  • Tidmarsh was placed on administrative leave by HHS on Friday and resigned on Sunday.

Sources:

  • (https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.593810/gov.uscourts.mdd.593810.1.0.pdf)
  • (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/health/fda-drug-unit-chief.html)
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/damning-poll-shows-voters-think-trump-and-rfk-jr-have-made-america-sicker/)
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/rfk-jr-explodes-in-red-faced-fury-in-anti-vax-grilling/)
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-fda-official-vinay-prasad-leaves-job-after-laura-loomers-attacks/)
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/fda-rehires-dr-vinay-prasadvaccine-chief-ousted-after-laura-loomers-public-pressure-campaign/)
  • (https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/fda-official-steps-down-sued-by-drugmaker-76fa9ce4)

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