Richard Pazdur, the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research director, filed paperwork to retire at month‑end amid a flurry of internal controversy tied to a vaccine‑policy memo from CBER leadership. Multiple reports indicate the resignation follows a period of heated internal debate over proposed changes to vaccine approval standards and advisory‑panel seating. A BioCentury analysis links the memo and related policy moves to broader instability at FDA senior ranks, with staff turnover and public scrutiny rising after the agency suggested tighter evidence requirements for vaccines. The developments have already moved markets: vaccine developers saw share pressure after the memo was made public, reflecting investor concern about regulatory uncertainty. This episode underscores how internal regulatory guidance can have rapid downstream effects on industry strategy, trial design and market access planning.