TAT readers know Vivek Ramaswamy from his time as the founder of the biotech conglomerate Roivant — and for his role in some of its various subsidiaries and spinoffs. Of course, the world now knows Ramaswamy for a very different reason: He’s running for president, and has made the cut to participate in the first debate of the Republican primary.
Earlier this month, Ramaswamy posted a video on Twitter trading on his biotech bona fides to talk about his plans to “expose and ultimately gut” the Food and Drug Administration.
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“And when it comes to agencies like the FDA, boy, do I know their corruption,” said Ramaswamy.
Not surprisingly, as reporters who have both followed Ramaswamy for years and reported extensively on the FDA, we have some thoughts on this. We sat down to talk them over.
Matt: Ramaswamy has always struck me as one of the best debaters I’ve ever met, but what surprised me is how much of this just strikes me as hyperbole and misrepresentation.
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Adam: I’ve spent a big part of my journalism career investigating and exposing biotech hype and false claims. These comments about the FDA from Ramaswamy are nonsense, made worse because he’s not a stock-promoting, snake-oil peddler. He’s a smart guy, who previously ran a legitimate biotech company, now seeking to become president.
Matt: Let’s talk in more detail about Ramaswamy’s remarks. The FDA, he said, “exercises authority far beyond what the law envisioned when the FDA was ever created in...
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