A week after his confirmation as FDA commissioner, Lester Crawford found himself the target of criticism from House Democrats angry about the way his agency has responded to safety problems in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. The showdown came at a congressional hearing on the agency's $1.5 billion budget for 2006. Crawford responded by defending his agency's track record as one of the best in the federal government. The FDA head fielded questions on the agency's handling of key issues, including drug re-importation, labeling rules, post-marketing studies, and the delay in hiring a head for the new office of drug safety, a task which, despite its high profile, Crawford said "fell through the cracks."
- see this story from the Boston Globe