This is truly unbelievable. Global FDA? Close ties between former FDA employees who now apparently "roost" in Big Pharma and the FDA? Who is running the show here? We who are suffering beyond belief because of the FDA and its corrupt and incestuous ties with Big Pharma are not likely going to be holding a "Spring Celebration". If you did not previously believe that the FDA and Big Pharma walk hand in hand, this should help convince you. I would suggest that one contact their Congressional representatives to complain about this, but that will have to wait until April 1 - April Fool's Day as it would be a joke to them. We all know that Congress has allowed Big Pharma to get what they wanted from Health Care Reform, so no sense in wasting any effort complaining to them, in my opinion. What a sad state of affairs. I would ask, "Where Does It End"?, but they have already given us the answer - Only when they have taken over the world!
Food and Drug Administration Alumni Association - Serving Those Who Have Served
FDAAA Celebrated the Upcoming 1st Year Anniversary for FDA Commissioner Hamburg
On March 15, 2010 FDAAA held a "Spring Celebration" luncheon at the FDA White Oaks Headquarters Campus in celebration of Commissioners Margaret Hamburg?s first year as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Over one hundred FDA alumni and current Agency top management staff attended.
FDAAA President, Alan Andersen, introduced Dr. Hamburg and gave some background on the well-established working relationship between the FDA Alumni Association and the agency's leadership, listing the recent presentations we've had from Josh Sharfstein, Mike Chappell, Bopper Deyton, and Jeff Shuren. He highlighted the efforts of the FDAAA to support CFSAN in its seemingly unending list of invitations from foreign governments who want to hear about what FDA thinks about food safety, and Robin Woo's efforts to make all that happen. With the preface that the FDAAA would like to do even more, he mentioned the FDAAA International Network efforts that Zili Li and Florence Houn are co-chairing and other initiatives being explored with the agency.
While the first year hasn't always been a picnic for the Commissioner, Dr. Andersen gave her the FDAAA's assurance that we "give a damn," and are committed to using our expertise to bolster the FDA's expertise when and where it would be appropriate.
Dr. Hamburg was gracious in her remarks which highlighted the regard in which she holds the FDA staff who work so hard, with such diligence and expertise, to make the Agency a great place to practice the art of public health. And, while it was difficult to start her tenure with the initials "FDAAA" standing for the FDA Amendments Act, she now recognizes that the original "FDAAA," (that's us) holds a special place in that we "get it" and that our membership is well-positioned in whatever capacity they now work to be a partner with FDA in helping to shape the future.
She repeated the themes that she has established as priorities: transparency, globalization, and recruitment/retention.
While transparency sounds like a buzz word, Dr. Hamburg clearly sees it as much more. Because key constituencies, including consumers, so easily perceive FDA as just a black box, it is only when they can see inside that black box and understand what goes into an FDA decision, that they can understand the value-added that the work of agency staff bring to the table.
Since, on almost a daily basis, we are reminded that globalization is happening (has happened.), it wasn't a tough sell for Dr. Hamburg to convince the audience that even more FDA efforts need to go into interactions with counterparts around the globe. She highlighted Mac Lumpkin's efforts to date and was encouraged that the FDA Alumni Association also sees the need for international networking. She noted that the FDA recognizes that an important way to proceed in this regard is in partnership with industry, where, she acknowledged, many FDA alumni have come to roost, because industry and FDA share many goals related to globalization.
Recruitment and retention efforts are clearly a priority at FDA. Russ Abbott has moved to the Office of the Commissioner with a focus on HR. While she did not offer any specifics, it was clear that employee recognition, advancement, and reward for performance were all part of her thinking for the future. She did joke that, while having an FDA Alumni Association was a great idea, she didn't want current FDA employees rushing out to become alumni members. They are needed right where they are!
She recognized all of the members of her senior staff who were in attendance, including
* Principal Deputy Commissioner, Josh Sharfstein,
* Deputy Commissioner for Food Safety, Mike Taylor
* Deputy Commissioner for International Programs, Mac Lumpkin
* Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Mike Chappell
* Associate Commissioner for External Affairs, Beth Martino
* Associate Commissioner for Special Medical Programs, Jill Warner
* Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Pam Pisner
* CFSAN Director, Steve Sundlof
* CDER Director, Janet Woodcock
* CBER Director, Karen Midthun
* CDRH Director, Jeff Shuren
* CVM Director, Bernadette Dunham, and the
* Center for Tobacco Products, Director, "Bopper" Deyton
This fine event would not have occurred without the hard work of some of our fellow FDA Alumni and select FDA staff. So please raise a picnic basket and offer a springtime cheer for those who coordinated this special event:
* Pam Pisner and Sandy Shippey at FDA for a fine organizational effort.
* Jim Bensen
* Anne Marie Finley
* Nancy Myers
* Jim Simpson, and last but not least,
* Fredda Valenti
Thanks also to those guests who chipped in to help the planning committee set up the room in record time! Finally a special thanks to the men and women of the Corp who served as FDA escorts and lead all of us to the right place at the right time.
Food and Drug Administration Alumni Association - Serving Those Who Have Served
FDAAA Celebrated the Upcoming 1st Year Anniversary for FDA Commissioner Hamburg
On March 15, 2010 FDAAA held a "Spring Celebration" luncheon at the FDA White Oaks Headquarters Campus in celebration of Commissioners Margaret Hamburg?s first year as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Over one hundred FDA alumni and current Agency top management staff attended.
FDAAA President, Alan Andersen, introduced Dr. Hamburg and gave some background on the well-established working relationship between the FDA Alumni Association and the agency's leadership, listing the recent presentations we've had from Josh Sharfstein, Mike Chappell, Bopper Deyton, and Jeff Shuren. He highlighted the efforts of the FDAAA to support CFSAN in its seemingly unending list of invitations from foreign governments who want to hear about what FDA thinks about food safety, and Robin Woo's efforts to make all that happen. With the preface that the FDAAA would like to do even more, he mentioned the FDAAA International Network efforts that Zili Li and Florence Houn are co-chairing and other initiatives being explored with the agency.
While the first year hasn't always been a picnic for the Commissioner, Dr. Andersen gave her the FDAAA's assurance that we "give a damn," and are committed to using our expertise to bolster the FDA's expertise when and where it would be appropriate.
Dr. Hamburg was gracious in her remarks which highlighted the regard in which she holds the FDA staff who work so hard, with such diligence and expertise, to make the Agency a great place to practice the art of public health. And, while it was difficult to start her tenure with the initials "FDAAA" standing for the FDA Amendments Act, she now recognizes that the original "FDAAA," (that's us) holds a special place in that we "get it" and that our membership is well-positioned in whatever capacity they now work to be a partner with FDA in helping to shape the future.
She repeated the themes that she has established as priorities: transparency, globalization, and recruitment/retention.
While transparency sounds like a buzz word, Dr. Hamburg clearly sees it as much more. Because key constituencies, including consumers, so easily perceive FDA as just a black box, it is only when they can see inside that black box and understand what goes into an FDA decision, that they can understand the value-added that the work of agency staff bring to the table.
Since, on almost a daily basis, we are reminded that globalization is happening (has happened.), it wasn't a tough sell for Dr. Hamburg to convince the audience that even more FDA efforts need to go into interactions with counterparts around the globe. She highlighted Mac Lumpkin's efforts to date and was encouraged that the FDA Alumni Association also sees the need for international networking. She noted that the FDA recognizes that an important way to proceed in this regard is in partnership with industry, where, she acknowledged, many FDA alumni have come to roost, because industry and FDA share many goals related to globalization.
Recruitment and retention efforts are clearly a priority at FDA. Russ Abbott has moved to the Office of the Commissioner with a focus on HR. While she did not offer any specifics, it was clear that employee recognition, advancement, and reward for performance were all part of her thinking for the future. She did joke that, while having an FDA Alumni Association was a great idea, she didn't want current FDA employees rushing out to become alumni members. They are needed right where they are!
She recognized all of the members of her senior staff who were in attendance, including
* Principal Deputy Commissioner, Josh Sharfstein,
* Deputy Commissioner for Food Safety, Mike Taylor
* Deputy Commissioner for International Programs, Mac Lumpkin
* Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Mike Chappell
* Associate Commissioner for External Affairs, Beth Martino
* Associate Commissioner for Special Medical Programs, Jill Warner
* Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Pam Pisner
* CFSAN Director, Steve Sundlof
* CDER Director, Janet Woodcock
* CBER Director, Karen Midthun
* CDRH Director, Jeff Shuren
* CVM Director, Bernadette Dunham, and the
* Center for Tobacco Products, Director, "Bopper" Deyton
This fine event would not have occurred without the hard work of some of our fellow FDA Alumni and select FDA staff. So please raise a picnic basket and offer a springtime cheer for those who coordinated this special event:
* Pam Pisner and Sandy Shippey at FDA for a fine organizational effort.
* Jim Bensen
* Anne Marie Finley
* Nancy Myers
* Jim Simpson, and last but not least,
* Fredda Valenti
Thanks also to those guests who chipped in to help the planning committee set up the room in record time! Finally a special thanks to the men and women of the Corp who served as FDA escorts and lead all of us to the right place at the right time.
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