The Food and Drug Administration was supposed to be the dull and predictable part of President Trump's health bureaucracy. Instead, it's become the soap opera whose cliffhangers leave entire industries in suspense β most recently Friday's drama over reports that commissioner Marty Makary was about to be booted out. Why it matters: The FDA regulates about one-fifth of the U.S. economy, so organizational disarray , surprise policy moves and political interference can cause real disruption. State of play: The Johns Hopkins physician and researcher appeared to have been spared late last week after multiple outlets reported that President Trump had authorized his firing. Under Makary, there's been considerable drama around abortion pills , flavored vapes , vaccine issues and drugs for rare diseases . But he's also made moves to speed up drug approvals and clinical trials and lessen regulatory burdens that will play out in the coming months β whether or not he's around.β¦