George Tidmarsh resigned as director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research after being placed on administrative leave while the Department of Health and Human Services investigates concerns about his conduct. The HHS statement noted expectations of high ethical standards; Tidmarsh has disputed some allegations and said he raised legal questions about an agency approval program. The departure deepens a leadership gap at CDER already hit by retirements and turnover, raising short‑term uncertainty for drug reviews and industry interactions. Observers cited reports from Bloomberg, the New York Times and BioCentury as sources for the timeline and internal agency reaction.