- Lester Crawford
Lester Mills Crawford (born
March 13 ,1938 ) is a former Commissioner of theUnited States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Crawford resigned from the FDA in September, 2005, two months after his approval by theUnited States Senate . OnOctober 17 ,2006 , he pleaded guilty to conflict of interest and false reporting of information about stocks he owned in food, beverage and medical device companies he was in charge of regulating."cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/17/AR2006101700573.html | title=Ex-FDA Chief Pleads Guilty in Stock Case | author=Andrew Bridges | publisher=The Associated Press |date=October 17, 2006]Education
Crawford received a
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree fromAuburn University in 1963 and aPh.D. inpharmacology from theUniversity of Georgia in 1969.Personal
Crawford has been married since 1963 to Catherine Walker of
Birmingham, Alabama . They have two daughters, Leigh and Mary, and four grandchildren.Career
Prior to becoming FDA Commissioner, Crawford had served as Deputy Commissioner of FDA since
February 25 ,2002 . From 1997-2002, he was Director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy atGeorgetown University and at Virginia Tech, where it moved to in 2001.Crawford also served as Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (
United States Department of Agriculture ) from 1987 to 1991 as well as director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine from 1978 to 1980, and again from 1982 to 1985. Previously in his career he was chair of the Department of Physiology-Pharmacology at the University of Georgia, executive director of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, and a practicing veterinarian.FDA appointment
Nomination
On
February 15 ,2005 , Crawford was nominated by PresidentGeorge W. Bush to head the FDA, pending U.S. Senate confirmation.His nomination stalled for two months after he was accused of an extramarital affair with an FDA employee. An investigation by the
Department of Health and Human Services inspector general found no evidence of an affair. OnApril 28 2006 it was announced that he was being investigated by agrand jury over accusations of financial improprieties and false statements to Congress. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/29/washington/29fda.html?ex=1303963200&en=1c06cfc9730ae955&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Ex-Head of F.D.A. Faces Criminal Inquiry, by Gardner Harris, The New York Times, April 28, 2006, published April 29, 2006] ] [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/29/AR2006042901140.html Grand Jury Is Investigating Ex-Chief of FDA, Associated Press, Sunday, April 30, 2006; Page A07] ]enate approval
The Senate Health Committee approved the nomination on
June 15 , and Crawford was approved by the Senate onJuly 18 .hort-lived, Controversial FDA Career
Crawford resigned on
September 23 in a surprise announcement. His appointment was embattled from the beginning as several senators had threatened to place holds on his confirmation vote until the FDA made a decision on whether or not to allow over-the-counter sales of the "Plan B" or "Morning-after"emergency contraception pills.The
White House nominatedAndrew von Eschenbach to succeed Crawford as commissioner.Justice Department charges
On
October 16 ,2006 , the US Justice Department formally charged Crawford with lying and violating conflict-of-interest laws for falsely reporting his ownership of stock in companies regulated by the FDA. [cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/washington/17fda.html | title= Ex-F.D.A. Chief Is Charged With Conflict | author=Stephanie Saul | publisher=New York Times |date=October 17, 2006] . Specifically, according to the charging documents, he falsely stated in a 2004 government filing that shares ofSysco Corp. and Kimberly-Clark Corp. had been sold when he and his wife continued to hold them, and also failed to disclose income from exercising stock options inEmbrex Inc. [cite news | url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a7hIqXR93OtY&refer=home | title=Crawford, Ex-U.S. Drug Regulator, Faces Stock Charges (Update2) | author=Cary O'Reilly |date=October 16, 2006 | publisher=Bloomberg] He pleaded guilty the next day.On
February 27 ,2007 , was sentenced to three years' supervised probation and fines of roughly $90,000. [cite news | url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4585904.html |date=February 27, 2007 | title=Ex-FDA chief sentenced to probation in stock scandal | author=Hope Yen | publisher=Associated Press]Later lobbying career
Crawford followed his position at the FDA by joining a Washington lobbying firm, Policy Directions Inc.
References
External links
* [http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2002pres/20020225.html HHS press release for Crawford being named FDA Deputy Commissioner]
* [http://www.fda.gov/oc/crawford/bio.html Official FDA biography]
* Matthew Herper [http://www.forbes.com/2005/09/28/crawford-fda-vioxx-cx_mh_0928autofacescan03.html Former FDA Chief Dr. Crawford Denies Financial Conflicts] , "Forbes", September. 28, 2005.
* [http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/14060354.htm Documents raise questions about decision on morning-after pill] , Tony Pugh, Knight Ridder Newspapers, March 9, 2006
* [http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/Lester_Crawford.php Lester Crawford's federal campaign contributions]
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