Government
Senate approves FDA chief
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 1, 2005
The Senate in July confirmed Lester Crawford, DVM, to serve as the permanent commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Crawford had been the acting FDA commissioner for more than a year. He took on that position after Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, left the agency to head up the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Although President Bush tapped the former food safety and animal health adviser to serve as chief in February, lawmakers' concerns about the FDA's product approval process held up his nomination for months.
Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D, N.Y.) and Patty Murray (D, Wash.) blocked Dr. Crawford from receiving a Senate vote because the agency had not decided whether to allow over-the-counter sales of the contraceptive known as Plan B. The senators lifted their hold after they were assured that the FDA would issue a ruling by Sept. 1. Sen. Tom Coburn, MD (R, Okla.), also removed his hold on the vote, which was motivated by concerns that the agency had not updated warning labels on condom packaging.
Several Republicans and Democrats spoke out strongly against Dr. Crawford's nomination based on accusations that the FDA has a record of stifling scientific dissent when it comes to drug safety. Sixteen senators voted against approval.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/08/01/gvbf0801.htm.
