Vinay Prasad will return to lead the Food and Drug Administration office that oversees vaccines and gene therapy in a stunning reversal that comes less than two weeks after he abruptly left the job .

Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed Prasad’s return in an emailed statement Saturday. “At the FDA’s request, Dr. Vinay Prasad is resuming leadership of the Center of Biologics Evaluation and Research,” Nixon wrote.

The news was reported earlier by Endpoints News and Stat news.

Prasad’s return marks the latest dramatic twist in what's already been a tumultuous run leading CBER, which in addition to vaccines and some genetic medicines also reviews blood products.

Prasad was appointed by Commissioner Martin Makary to run CBER on May 6 .

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