Lester Crawford, has resigned....now *former* official with FDA

[pinto]

reported today on CNN TV.

File this under:

An inept federal administration of narrow minded crony idealogues.

March '05 piece from Planned Parenthood:

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/webzine/newspoliticsactivism/fean-050310-crawford.xml

on edit, sorry, edited to reflect Crawford's role in the FDA....duh.

[NNadir]

1. You ain't seen nothing yet. Next up: Roberts.

[Divernan]

2. Heralds another ineffective problem with flu vaccine shortage?

It's that time of year when the flu vaccines should become available. Last year this clown was found to be very ineffective in his response to the vaccine shortage.

You just have to wonder what news is about to break that prompted his "resignation" - undoubtedly demanded by
Bush. Have to see whether Bush says nice things about him on the occasion of his departure.

Or maybe he has some ties to Abramoff and is about to be subpoenaed?

[Momof1]

3. thats the pattern, RESIGN on Fri, ARRESTED on Mon

n/t

[warrens]

4. I really doubt it

He's a veterinarian, not some political operative. My guess is that he was about to approve the morning after pill, so they fired him. Nobody quits late on Friday afternoon.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. I'm sure he just wants to spend some time with his family.

[stevedeshazer]

5. Good riddance

From your link, a snippet:
=========================================================================
Criticisms lodged against Crawford are legion — among them, an ineffective response to last winter's shortage of flu vaccines, a relationship with drug companies that's been referred to as "cozy," and the fact that he is the first nominee for the position since 1981 who is not a physician (he has a doctorate in veterinary medicine and in pharmacology).

But of all the FDA decisions that have been handed down under Crawford's leadership, one stands out as particularly troubling — the denial of over-the-counter status for Plan B emergency contraception (EC), despite support from the FDA's own advisory panels and major professional medical associations.
=========================================================================
Sounds like quite a guy.

[pinto]

7. update:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/08/31/pill.resign.ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A high-ranking Food and Drug Administration official resigned Wednesday in protest over the agency's refusal to allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception.

Susan Wood, director of FDA's Office of Women's Health, announced her resignation in an e-mail to colleagues at the agency. The e-mail was released by contraception advocates.

The FDA last Friday postponed indefinitely its decision on whether to allow the morning-after pill, called Plan B, to be sold without a prescription. The agency said it was safe for adults to use without a doctor's guidance but was unable to decide how to keep it out of the hands of young teenagers without a prescription -- a decision contrary to the advice of its own scientific advisers.

"I can no longer serve as staff when scientific and clinical evidence, fully evaluated and recommended for approval by the professional staff here, has been overruled," wrote Wood, who also was assistant commissioner for women's health. "The recent decision announced by the Commissioner about emergency contraception, which continues to limit women's access to a product that would reduce unintended pregnancies and reduce abortions, is contrary to my core commitment to improving and advancing women's health."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/08/31/pill.resign.ap/index.html

[Momof1]

8. Friday news dump

Just so no one will notice.

[charlie]

9. Might be something picayune

like philandering:

His nomination by President George W. Bush was delayed for months by charges of an extramarital affair with a female subordinate and controversy about whether to permit over-the-counter sales of a "morning-after" contraceptive.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N23569690.htm

[pinto]

10. sounds like that may have *something* to do with it.