Apparently, FDA managers (affectionately known as "bureaucrats") think managers are more useful to the public than FDA scientists are, which is why managers have been giving higher retention bonuses to managers. Yes, it does sound self-serving.
According to the Washington Post,
"The bonuses have disproportionately gone to those who already have large salaries. The House committee's analysis of FDA bonus data shows that 33 of the most senior career managers -- who earn more than $165,000 a year because of their special talents and experience -- received a total of $900,000 in bonuses last year."
For example, an FDA manager who deals with lobbyists got $178,000 in cash bonuses in 4 1/2 years. All she had to do to was sign a statement saying she would likely take a private-sector job if she didn't get a retention bonus. She didn't even have to prove that she had a job offer, though the rules state that retention bonuses are generally used to match competing offers from non-federal employers.
Meanwhile, an award-winning FDA chemical engineer got a mere $2,500 bonus.
Politically speaking, it's a bad time for bonuses, given the scandals over the FDA's repeated failure to promote drug safety -- one of FDA's primary functions (read about Viagra, Vioxx, Ketek and Avandia at BN-Politics).
Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) said:
"Somehow the FDA has institutionalized the open till, and some of their least distinguished bureaucrats seem to be grabbing as much as they can. When all you have to do for $30,000 or $40,000 is send in a note saying 'Pay up,' something's rotten."
House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman John Dingell (D-MI), who is leading the investigation, said:
"FDA officials have raided the U.S. Treasury of $10 million a year, not to hire more inspectors or better compensate the field personnel working to protect us from botulism and E. coli, but to award each other $50,000 bonuses."
The bonus-information came out during a recent hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee (webcast available). Transcripts won't be available for 60-90 days.
The Washington Post has an 8-page pdf listing the FDA's top earners in 2006, along with their salaries and bonuses. I wonder if the FDA is hiring.
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