George Tidmarsh resigned as director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) after being placed on administrative leave amid an HHS probe into his conduct. The department said the investigation followed concerns raised by the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Inspector General; HHS emphasized expectations of high ethical standards for agency leaders. Tidmarsh had been appointed in late July and his departure follows public scrutiny over a LinkedIn post criticizing a prior FDA approval that moved markets. The resignation deepens leadership instability at CDER and raises near-term questions about continuity in major review programs and senior-level direction for drug regulation.