FDA Staffers Ask Obama To Purge Agency
EmailABC News’ Brian Hartman Reports: Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, released a remarkable letter today that nine staffers from the Food and Drug Administration have sent to President Obama.
The staffers are ecstatic about new leadership at the FDA but want bad managers who still remain on the job to be run out of the agency, and in some cases, prosecuted as criminals. The staffers, whose names are redacted, call for an end to "the culture of wrongdoing and coverup."
The letter stated that "many other FDA managers who have failed to protect the American public, who have violated laws, rules, and regulations, who have suppressed or altered scientific or technological findings and conclusions, who have abused their power and authority, and who have engaged in illegal retaliation against those who speak out, have not been held accountable and remain in place."
"Sweeping measures are needed to end the systemic corruption and wrongdoing that permeates all levels of FDA and has plagued the Agency far too long," the letter said.
The letter cites the approval of medical devices against the advice of scientific staff and the overruling of scientists to block young women from using the Plan B contraceptive pill. A federal judge recently ordered the FDA to reverse that decision and let 17-year-olds to use the Plan B pill without a prescription.
"Numerous top FDA officials, have been well-aware of … serious wrongdoing, and failed to take any actions, while the physicians and scientists who spoke out and refused to comply have suffered retaliation," the letter said.
The staffers called for "immediate and decisive disciplinary action" and suggested "some wrongdoing may be beyond the scope of FDA’s jurisdiction and may need referral to the U.S. Attorney General."
Read the full letter here.
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I really can’t get too excited about 9 ticked off staff members out of 10,000 odd writing a letter. I do find it interesting that a Republican released it. It gives me hope that the Republican party is coming around to the idea that science and reality are not good things to declare war on in the modern world.
Posted by: jhw539 | April 2, 2009, 11:50 am 11:50 am
I agree some heads need to roll at the FDA..I could care less if those heads are republican or democrat..The fact that they collected a wage for what they DIDN’T do over the last 8 years…is criminal…
Posted by: cowgirl | April 2, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
This idea of not governing in anger should’nt preclude the sweeping changes that need to be made..Justice is seperate from anger, and Justice finally needs to see the light of day..that blindfold has come to symbolize-no justice -not fair justice.
Posted by: cowgirl | April 2, 2009, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
“PURGE” ? The last time I heard that word used in that manner it was coming out of Joe Stalin’s mouth.
Posted by: Ron | April 2, 2009, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
Ron:”The last time I heard that word used in that manner it was coming out of Joe Stalin’s mouth.”
It was NEVER used in that manner (fire a handful of political appointees during a routine administration change) by Stalin – not once. It is pretty disgusting that you ignorantly belittle the 1 – 2 million (the actual number will never be known – they did not keep records) victims who died in the Great Purge for a petty partisan snipe. Based just on the records that were not destroyed, at least 750,000 people were executed outright, at least 1,700,000 were arrested.
Posted by: jhw539 | April 2, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
The FDA is a bureaucracy. Incompetence abounds in all government agencies where normal reviews are weak and non-productive. To have a ‘job for life’ without scrutiny is common. Such is life in big government. That’s why private profit-motivated institutions are typically more productive and perpetuation of big government should be fearful to all taxpayers.
Posted by: dl | April 2, 2009, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
Cowgirl wrote: “I agree some heads need to roll at the FDA..I could care less if those heads are republican or democrat..The fact that they collected a wage for what they DIDN’T do over the last 8 years…is criminal…”
Amen to that!
Posted by: Clint | April 2, 2009, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
Uncle Joe…….Comrade Iosef Visarionovich Djugashvili……used the word “purge”? Are you absolutely sure?
Posted by: Sammy | April 2, 2009, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
Finally, the mistreated scientists from the FDA are able to have their say! I’m glad that there are still workers with integrity, who believe in medical truth vs the top management which believed in corporate profit. One has to wait to see if there will be any disciplinary action, and real structural change in regulatory agencies by Obama–so far there has been nil with regards to Wall St. This problem of systemic mistreatment of truth and hard work is endemic in our culture and does preclude any company or anybody.
Posted by: wendy | April 2, 2009, 9:34 pm 9:34 pm
certain Govt agencies are a joke and need to be purged. The FDA,FAA and the SEC to name a few. They are worthless and can’t or won’t fulfill their purpose in govt. A need to get rid of top management and start over or they will continue with their previous philosophy which is to maintain the status quo. If Obama wants to change government let him start here.
Posted by: richard warren | April 4, 2009, 8:40 am 8:40 am
I hope they fix the FDA because it a corrupt, inefficient government agency that rarely does anything for the country that doesn’t not first help the few select high officials.
Posted by: Nathan | April 4, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm