FDA Probes Hiring Practices At Its Media Office
5 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // February 17th, 2011 // 12:03 pm
Yet another personnel problem is weighing down the FDA media office. This time, the FDA Inspector General is investigating hiring practices after Carl Chitwood, the recently appointed director of web communications, resigned amid allegations that he hired a former colleague for an FDA job, even though other individuals were better qualified for the position.
The tumult may eventually envelope Beth Martino, the embattled associate commissioner for external affairs, since she approved the hiring, according to the AssurX blog. In response to questions, Meghan Scott, the FDA deputy director for external affairs, would only write that: “I am unable to comment on these personnel matters, as the investigation into Carl Chitwood is ongoing.”
The recent hire was reportedly tapped for a job without undergoing an interview process and now the FDA Inspector General has allegedly recommended that the employment offer be withdrawn, AssurX writes. Attempts to reach Chitwood, whose LinkedIn page does not list his FDA employment, have been unsuccessful.
This is only the latest flap involving the FDA media office. Two months ago, the office purged a few senior specialists who are 50 years and older. Three staffers were let go and a fourth, career employee Donna Avallone, 62, was stripped of her title and reassigned by Chitwood, a 37-year-old Martino appointee, according to FDA Webview. However, he later denied forcing anyone out of a job (back story).
Meanwhile, the FDA media office has been chastised by the Association of Health Care Journalists for issuing a recent embargo that barred journalists from seeking expert comment prior to when the embargo lifted, a move the group decried as running contrary to the White House policy on transparency and throttling the ability to scrutinize and understand taxpayer-funded actions (look here).
Martino, a 31-year-old former Kansas aide to HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius, has not publicly responded to any of these developments, although she appeared to be taking a swipe at journalists in a Tweet earlier this week - a day after the AHCJ released its letter publicly (look here). Here is the email that Martino wrote last week to her staff about the dust-up….
“Effective immediately, Carl Chitwood has resigned from his position at FDA. For now, I’ll be taking on the duties as Director of Web while we figure out both the interim and long-term strategy for filling the vacancy. I know many of you (and folks on your team) interact with the web team. Please give them your support as they continue moving forward on the projects and work they have on their plate. If you have any questions, please give me a call or stop by.”
Beth
Beth Martino
Associate Commissioner for External Affairs
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire
Silver Spring, MD 20993
w. 301.796.7603
c. 301.529.0675
Elmore
This isn’t just at FDA. A friend who was a group account supervisor at a big agency speculates that the move to those with little relevant experience is intentional because they are less likely to question anything, including requests that are “iffy” in terms of legitimacy.
xcelentx
I better go dumb down my CV…….
Ethical Monitor
I was just turned down this week for 2 positions because the employers said I was too “advanced”. It is not only the range of salary but Elmore said it correctly “less likely to question anything”. Junior or entry level Study Monitors are less likely to observe clinical research fraud and misconduct by Investigators at clinics and by the sponsors who pay their salary. They are also more likely to believe the job is one of production and meet efficiency ratings rather than quality. Meanwhile the level of ethical, honest, and quality clinical research keeps declining.
I realize that I was once new at monitoring but when I was trained ensuring the welfare of the study subject really was important. The emphasis for successful study monitors today is ensuring the study gets completed with as little “reported” problems and making clinical research sites “appear” FDA audit ready.
Methuselah
‘Advanced’ applies to one’s personal chronology too, as some of us know only too well.
ex-FDAer
And if you’re at the FDA and you should pick up on any safety issues.
Well look what happened to David Graham and Vioxx he only survived because of Congress getting involved and then suppressing retaliation after he testified.
As for anyone who is picking up on safety issues prior to marketing forget it. Even when there is clear evidence of felonies by FDA officials in the approval package including their own e-mails and memos. The inspector general’s office will never do anything because if they do the HHS secretary will lobby to cut their budget and emasculate them. At least this is what the IG of another major agency with big corruption problems has told me.