Senators Issues Subpoenas To HHS
When a high-ranking FDA official steps out of their regulatory role and into an executive position at a major pharmaceutical company, it raises serious questions about the integrity of the system. And yet, here we are again.
Pfizer has just appointed Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni as its executive vice president and chief medical officer, placing her in charge of safety and regulatory matters across its global operations. Not long ago—until January 18, to be precise—Cavazzoni served as the director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, effectively acting as the top regulator for pharmaceuticals in the United States.
If this transition seems suspicious, that’s because it is. The so-called “revolving door” between regulatory agencies and the companies they oversee is nothing new, but the speed and frequency with which it happens continue to erode public trust in both.
In Cavazzoni’s case, the move is especially notable because this isn’t her first stint at Pfizer. Before joining the FDA in 2018, she worked at the company for eight years, overseeing clinical trials and playing a significant role in drug development.
Her history with major pharmaceutical firms doesn’t stop there. Prior to her time at Pfizer, Cavazzoni worked at Eli Lilly, where she was deeply involved in the legal and regulatory battles over the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa.
While Zyprexa was prescribed to help patients with schizophrenia manage their symptoms, it was also linked to severe weight gain and diabetes. Documents from legal proceedings suggest that Cavazzoni played a key role in downplaying these risks—a tactic that has long been associated with Big Pharma’s attempts to protect profits at the expense of patient safety.
Given this track record, it’s no surprise that Pfizer was eager to bring her back into the fold. After all, experience navigating regulatory scrutiny—and, more importantly, influencing it—is an invaluable asset to a company that has faced its share of controversy, particularly in the wake of its $100 billion in sales from mRNA Covid vaccines.
This move echoes a familiar pattern. In 2019, Pfizer welcomed Dr. Scott Gottlieb to its board of directors just three months after he stepped down as FDA commissioner. Gottlieb, notably, is a key figure in an ongoing lawsuit alleging that senior Pfizer executives colluded with the Biden administration to suppress reporting on vaccine safety concerns.
These cozy relationships between regulators and the pharmaceutical industry create an undeniable conflict of interest. When the same individuals responsible for ensuring public safety move seamlessly into high-ranking positions at the very companies they once regulated, it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that regulatory decisions are made in the best interest of the public.