Sidney Wolfe, a relentless consumer activist and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) foe, passed away on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at the age of 86.
Wolfe began his career as a medical doctor in Detroit in 1954 after graduating from the University of Michigan medical school. He was always an advocate for patients and devoted much of his life to fighting for people’s rights against the drug and medical device industries. He was a fierce critic of the FDA, and he founded the Public Citizen Health Research Group in 1971, when he began publicly speaking out against drug companies who he believed were not properly testing their products.
Wolfe’s work with Public Citizen Health Research Group was instrumental in ensuring greater safety and quality measures for medical products. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Drug Company User Fee in 1992, which created more resources for the FDA so that it could better evaluate drugs and devices on the market. His work also led to the banning of many drugs from the market such as the diet drug, Pondimin, and of the breast implant company, Dow Corning.
Throughout Wolfe’s career, he wrote countless articles and testified before Congress countless times. He also founded the Worst Pills, Best Pills newsletter, which provides up to date information on risky drugs for consumers. For his tremendous contributions to public health, Wolfe earned many awards, most notably the John K. Iglehart Award from the American College of Physicians for exemplary dedication to improving healthcare.
Wolfe’s legacy of consumer advocacy and protecting the public will continue on through all the patients he helped. He touched countless lives and saved many through his commitment to health justice. He was a true pioneer in the field and will be dearly missed by those who knew him.
Sidney Wolfe, a relentless consumer activist and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) foe, passed away on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at the age of 86.
Wolfe began his career as a medical doctor in Detroit in 1954 after graduating from the University of Michigan medical school. He was always an advocate for patients and devoted much of his life to fighting for people’s rights against the drug and medical device industries. He was a fierce critic of the FDA, and he founded the Public Citizen Health Research Group in 1971, when he began publicly speaking out against drug companies who he believed were not properly testing their products.
Wolfe’s work with Public Citizen Health Research Group was instrumental in ensuring greater safety and quality measures for medical products. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Drug Company User Fee in 1992, which created more resources for the FDA so that it could better evaluate drugs and devices on the market. His work also led to the banning of many drugs from the market such as the diet drug, Pondimin, and of the breast implant company, Dow Corning.
Throughout Wolfe’s career, he wrote countless articles and testified before Congress countless times. He also founded the Worst Pills, Best Pills newsletter, which provides up to date information on risky drugs for consumers. For his tremendous contributions to public health, Wolfe earned many awards, most notably the John K. Iglehart Award from the American College of Physicians for exemplary dedication to improving healthcare.
Wolfe’s legacy of consumer advocacy and protecting the public will continue on through all the patients he helped. He touched countless lives and saved many through his commitment to health justice. He was a true pioneer in the field and will be dearly missed by those who knew him.
