Crawford confirmed to lead FDA

ROCKVILLE, MD. - 7/27/2005 - The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Lester M. Crawford to the post of commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Crawford is the first veterinarian to serve FDA in this capacity.

"I am pleased that the Senate acted today to approve the nomination of Dr. Lester Crawford to be commissioner of FDA, Mike Leavitt, secretary of Health and Human Services, says in a prepared statement. "Dr. Crawford is a dedicated public servant who has ably led the agency over the last year and previously served as deputy commissioner. The FDA has a critical role in protecting the nation's food supply and ensuring the safety of the medicines we take based on the best science available. I look forward to working with Dr. Crawford and FDA as we seek to continue advancing the nation's health."

Previously, Crawford was chair of the Department of Physiology-Pharmacology at the University of Georgia and administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA). From 1997-2002, he was director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Georgetown University and at Virginia Tech, where it moved in 2001.

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