Wedoany.com Report-Dec.3, Richard Pazdur, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's long-serving oncology leader who assumed the position of drug evaluation chief on November 11, will retire from the agency in the coming weeks, an FDA spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.

Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020.

Pazdur had taken over leadership of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) following the resignation of George Tidmarsh. His decision to step down comes shortly after he assumed the expanded role.

"We respect Dr. Pazdur's decision to retire and honor his 26 years of distinguished service at the FDA," the spokesperson stated.

Pazdur joined the FDA in 1999 and became director of the Office of Oncology Drug Products in 2005. During his tenure, he played a central role in accelerating the development and approval of numerous cancer treatments, earning recognition for modernizing oncology drug review processes.

A federal health official confirmed that Pazdur's retirement is proceeding and will not be withdrawn.

The departure marks another senior-level transition at the FDA during a period of organizational changes. Earlier this year, Peter Marks stepped down from his position overseeing vaccine regulation.

Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf commented on Pazdur's contributions:"He is one of the most effective and creative regulators in FDA history. With so much attrition already, we’re left with a team with very little experience making major decisions."

Analysts at RBC Capital Markets noted that the timing of Pazdur's exit may raise questions about continuity in drug review leadership, potentially creating short-term uncertainty for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies awaiting regulatory decisions.

Throughout his career, Pazdur oversaw the approval of dozens of innovative oncology therapies, helping establish several accelerated pathways that remain in use today. His work has been widely credited with improving access to new cancer medicines while maintaining rigorous safety and efficacy standards.

The FDA continues to manage an extensive portfolio of drug applications across multiple therapeutic areas as it transitions to new leadership within CDER.