HHS Inspector General Subpoenas 3 financial institutions Re: Investigation of fo

January 1, 2006

HHS Inspector General Subpoenas 3 financial institutions Re:

Investigation of former FDA Chief

ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION (AHRP)

Promoting Openness, Full Disclosure, and Accountability

www.ahrp.org

FYI

Following the abtrupt resignation of Lester Crawford as chief of the

FDA--after just 2 months in office--several Congress persons asked

the Office of the Inspector General to investigate the circumstances.

Reuters reports the IG has subpoenaed three financial institutions

afte: " Financial disclosure forms filed in June 2005 show that as

late as 2004, Crawford or his wife owned stock in companies with

products regulated by the FDA. "

Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav

212-595-8974

veracare@...

Publication Logo

US Investigators Subpoena Ex-FDA Chief's Records

By Richwine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) Dec 19 - The Department of Health and Human

Services' Office of Inspector General has sent subpoenas to three

financial institutions as part of an investigation of former Food and

Drug Administration Commissioner Lester Crawford, a source familiar

with the probe said on Monday.

The inspector general's office is investigating Crawford's abrupt

departure from the FDA in September.

" Subpoenas were issued to three financial institutions in the

investigation of Lester Crawford, " the source said, speaking on

condition of anonymity and without identifying the recipients of the

subpoenas.

Judy Holtz, a spokeswoman for the inspector general, confirmed the

subpoenas had been sent but declined to comment further.

An attorney for Crawford, Barbara Van Gelder, had no comment. " We

won't comment on any ongoing investigations, " she said.

Crawford resigned as FDA commissioner just two months after surviving

a tough Senate confirmation fight. He gave no explanation, other than

saying it was time to step aside at age 67.

Lawmakers requested an inspector general probe of Crawford's sudden

exit and whether it was related to his financial holdings and

disclosures.

Crawford served as the FDA's deputy commissioner and acting

commissioner for more than three years prior to his July 2005

confirmation as permanent FDA chief.

Financial disclosure forms filed in June 2005 show that as late as

2004, Crawford or his wife owned stock in companies with products

regulated by the FDA.

The companies included hamburger chain 's International Inc.;

food distributor Sysco Corp. ; food and beverage maker PepsiCo ;

- Corp., which makes medical devices, and Embrex Inc.,

an agriculture biotechnology company.

Shares in those companies were sold at various times during 2004,

according to the forms.

Crawford endured several controversies during his tenure, including a

series of drug-safety concerns and repeated delays on Barr

Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s bid to sell the Plan B " morning-after "

contraceptive without a prescription.

He also faced anonymous charges of an extramarital affair with a

female subordinate. An earlier inspector general investigation found

no basis for the allegations.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This may contain copyrighted (© ) material the use

of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright

owner. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to

advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral,

ethical, and social justice issues, etc. It is believed that this

constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided

for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. This

material is distributed without profit.

January 1, 2006