News Release

Statement by Mike Leavitt
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Regarding the Nomination of Dr. Lester Crawford to be FDA Commissioner

Dr. Lester Crawford is an outstanding choice for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For nearly a century, FDA has earned the public's trust in protecting the food and medicine we give our families. To millions of people, the FDA brand is a seal of quality and safety that is based on the best science in the world, and I look forward to working with Dr. Crawford to build on that trust in the 21st century.

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. 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.

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Last revised: February 14, 2005