Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8775

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Tanne JH.
Former FDA commissioner is fined $90 000 for failing to disclose conflicts of interest
BMJ 2007 Mar 10; 334:(7592):492
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7592/492

Abstract:

Lester Crawford, former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, was last week fined $89 377 (£45 800; 67 000), sentenced to three years of supervised probation, and required to do 50 hours of community service by Judge Deborah Robinson of the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

Last October Dr Crawford pleaded guilty to two charges: failing to report that he and his wife owned shares in companies regulated by the agency and filing false financial reports. The reports are required by US law. The companies included Pepsico, Kimberly-Clark, and Sysco. At the time Dr Crawford was head of the FDA’s obesity working group (BMJ 2006; 333:874, doi: 10.1136/bmj.333.7574.874-a).

Each charge carried a possible one year prison term and a $100 000 fine.

The judge increased the fine from the $50 000 that Dr Crawford and his lawyer had negotiated in a plea agreement, . . .