UAB Synopsis, Vol. 24, No. 9, March 14, 2005
Lester Crawford, a Demopolis, Alabama, native and Auburn graduate, is the nominee for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner. He has served as acting FDA commissioner since March 2004, prior to that as deputy commissioner, serving a 9-month tenure as acting commissioner before the appointment of Mark McClellan, MD, as commissioner. In addition to his doctorate of veterinary medicine degree from Auburn, Dr. Crawford earned a doctorate in pharmacology from University of Georgia.
Dr. Crawford envisions a new culture of openness, improved oversight, and enhanced independence. The FDA will create a new independent Drug Safety Oversight Board to oversee drug safety issues and will provide emerging information to doctors and patients about the risks and benefits of medicines.