Chuck Grassley: “for one final time, I wish to address the nominee before us, Dr. Von Eschenbach, who is up for Commissioner of the Food…”

“for one final time, I wish to address the nominee before us, Dr. Von Eschenbach, who is up for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and who I think should not be approved for the position by the Senate. I have considered Dr. Von Eschenbach's performance on the job for more than a year now because he was appointed Acting Commissioner in September of 2005. In fact, over the last year I have closely monitored his actions, reactions, and his public and private comments to the FDA staff and to the public. This nominee inherited a Food and Drug Administration plagued by cultural and structural and personnel problems, and I surely do not blame him for the problems, but I have to look at whether he is the person to correct those problems. Because this agency is plagued by these cultural and structural and personnel problems, FDA is in desperate need of a leader, a leader who can not only restore the public's confidence in the agency but also restore the agency's confidence in itself. I met with Dr. Von Eschenbach more than once. We talked, and he seemed to be very nice. He has, of course, without dispute, excellent credentials. He promised me full cooperation in my oversight work I was doing and the investigations I was doing, but, in fact, it did not happen. Instead, I had to issue two subpoenas. So far, he has not complied with those subpoenas which were issued 7 months ago.”