Bush nominates AU vet alumnus to be FDA commissioner

President Bush has nominated Auburn University alumnus Dr. Lester Crawford to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Crawford, 66, a 1963 AU veterinary graduate and Demopolis native, has been acting commissioner since March 2004. He previously served two years as deputy commissioner, including nine months as acting commissioner in 2002.

Pending Senate approval, Dr. Crawford will become the first veterinarian to serve as FDA commissioner.

“We’ve known of Dr. Crawford’s ability for many years because he has been very active in supporting the College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Dr. Timothy Boosinger, AU veterinary dean. “He was awarded our Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1989, and he was kind enough to speak at our 2004 annual conference. He will do an excellent job leading the FDA.”

The FDA is responsible for the safety and regulation of drugs, most foods, biological products, medical devices, animal feed and drugs, cosmetics and radiation-emitting equipment. The nation’s food safety efforts are conducted by the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA oversees meat and poultry.

Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, calls Dr. Crawford “an outstanding choice” for the position.

“Dr. Crawford has dedicated his career to advancing the nation’s public health and will lead the way as we enter a new era of individualized medicine and rapidly developing science,” Leavitt said. “With Dr. Crawford’s leadership, FDA will provide the world’s safest drugs and empower citizens with the tools they need to make to make informed choices about their health.”

Dr. Crawford’s background includes serving as director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy in Washington, D.C., and as executive director of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. He has worked more than 13 years with the FDA and the USDA, including three years as director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

In addition to his AU veterinary degree, he has a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Georgia and an honorary doctorate from Budapest University.