Crawford Nominated to be FDA Head

The Bush administration nominated FDA acting Commissioner Lester Crawford as commissioner of the FDA, a position that has been vacant since March 2004.

Crawford has served as acting commissioner of the agency since last March, when Commissioner Mark McClellan was moved to head up the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which has been pivotal in overseeing the implementation of the recently passed Medicare drug-benefit bill.

The FDA is one of the most powerful regulatory agencies in the U.S., regulating more than a trillion dollars worth of products ranging from prescription and OTC drugs to seafood, animal feed and medical devices. Crawford's nomination comes at a time when the FDA faces harsh scrutiny over its ability to effectively monitor drug safety.

While organizations such as AdvaMed welcomed Crawford's appointment, consumer groups are urging lawmakers to carefully question Crawford during his nomination hearings.