The Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General on Monday confirmed that his office is investigating the sudden resignation of former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Lester Crawford. Crawford served only two months as commissioner after a difficult confirmation process, mostly due to concerns over the FDA’s constant delays on over-the-counter status for emergency contraception (EC) while Crawford was acting FDA commissioner and prior to his tenure. Crawford served as acting commissioner for more than a year.
In an interview late last month with Forbes.com, Crawford said that the controversy over EC was part of the reason he decided to leave the FDA. Moreover, Crawford referred to controversy over mifepristone (also known as RU 486) as a factor in his decision to resign. Despite the fact that mifepristone is safer to use than aspirin and has been used safely by more than a million women worldwide, right-wing groups have been petitioning the FDA to remove mifepristone, a drug used for safe, early medical abortions, from the market. Crawford said his decision to leave the FDA had nothing to do with a rumored omission from his financial disclosure form, according to Forbes.com.
