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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) tonight released the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach as the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner. Hinchey is the author of the comprehensive FDA Improvement Act and is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, which allocates the FDA's budget.
"Unfortunately, the Senate's confirmation of Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach represents anything but a fresh start for one of the most troubled agencies in the federal government. For far too long, the FDA has fought on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry rather than the American people and has refused to acknowledge that it needs broad new authority to keep unsafe drugs and devices off the market. And now, President Bush has nominated and the Senate has confirmed someone who, during his tenure as Acting Commissioner, has already shown that he will continue more of the same misguided policies and attitudes that the FDA leadership has exhibited throughout this administration.
"The FDA is plagued with trouble and I have not seen anything substantive from Dr. von Eschenbach to make me believe that the mismanagement, misplaced priorities, and ineptitude of the agency's leadership will change during his tenure. Among many other things, Dr. von Eschenbach has presided over the FDA as it issued a new rule that prevents Americans from filing lawsuits against drug companies if they or a loved one become seriously ill or die as the result of a particular drug. And in just the last few days, the FDA has approved numerous waivers for panelists on its advisory boards who have financial conflicts of interest with drugs and devices they are reviewing.
"The FDA is broken and is need of significant, comprehensive reform; not just to the laws that govern the agency, but also to the culture that pervades it. As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the FDA's budget, my colleagues and I will closely be following Dr. von Eschenbach's work as FDA Commissioner and will fully exercise our panel's oversight authority of the agency."
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