On September 23, 2005, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner, 67-year-old Lester Crawford, announced that he was resigning from his top post at one of the most news-worthy federal agencies of recent years. The FDA has been the center of much controversy in the past few years. During Crawford’s mere three years as the FDA commissioner, the dangerous arthritis drug, Vioxx, was pulled off the market, hundreds of thousands of defective heart devices were recalled, and controversy mounted over women’s access to emergency contraceptives.
In 1938, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FDC) Act was passed by Congress to extend the FDA’s role. The federal agency gained control over cosmetic and therapeutic device regulation and became responsible for ensuring that drugs are proven safe before they are marketed. The FDA’s fulfillment of these functions has come under enormous scrutiny in the past few years, as numerous drugs and medical devices have been found grossly defective in post-market years. Critics believe that the FDA functions at the whim of the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry rather than working to ensure that consumers are protected from dangerous drugs and medical products.
Mr. Lester Crawford has been at the reigns for much of this tumultuous ride. Many consumer advocates welcome the commissioner’s departure. Senator Mikulski has called Crawford’s resignation “a move towards reforming the FDA.” She also stated that “Lester Crawford’s leadership at FDA since 2002 have been both trepid and passive.” Many others have criticized the commissioner for the same short-comings.
Adding fuel to the flame, the commissioner curtailed moral at the FDA after indefinitely postponing non-prescription sales of emergency contraception. This decision was made against the recommendation of staff scientists who have found this drug both safe and effective. The FDA’s chief of women’s health resigned as a result of this unscrupulous act.
Despite this controversy, the resignation of Lester Crawford came as a surprise to many. This announcement comes just two months after the Senate, after a long delay and pressure from President George Bush, promoted Crawford from agency deputy and acting commissioner to the top post in the agency. As a veterinary specialist in food safety, Crawford’s experience was considered particularly important in protecting the nation’s food supply from bioterrorism.
FDA spokesmen have declined to state whether or not Crawford’s resignation was a forced move, citing “personnel issues” as the reason he chose to step down. Lester Crawford crafted his departing speech with an affable tone, thanking his colleagues for the honor of serving with them to “accomplish great things for public health.”
Officials have yet to name a replacement for this top position in the Bush Administration.
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