Executive Summary

Former FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford joined the lobbying firm Policy Directions in January as senior counsel. The government relations firm counts the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, the Biotechnology Industry Organization and several major pharmaceutical companies as clients. According to public disclosures, PhRMA paid Policy Directions $120,000 in 2005 to lobby Congress, HHS and FDA on importation, FDA regulation and user fees. Additionally, Merck and Genzyme each paid the firm $80,000 in 2005. According to the firm's website, it was involved in modifying the Controlled Substances Act, it helped garner support for the "Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act" and "successfully achieved FDA advisory committee support for a product that had originally been voted down." Crawford's abrupt departure from FDA has been under review by the HHS Inspector General (1"The Tan Sheet" Sept. 26, 2005, p. 5)...