WASHINGTON — In his first address to FDA staff on Wednesday, Vinay Prasad emphasized his commitment to evidence, his admiration for agency employees, and his desire to serve the American public.

The oncologist and former University of California, San Francisco, professor has long been critical of COVID-19 mandates and the accelerated approval of cancer drugs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has named Vinay Prasad, an oncologist who has previously criticized FDA leadership and COVID-19 mandates, as the director of its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research,