Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. (July 18, 1933 – February 11, 2010) was an American pharmacologist, medical educator and administrator who served as

Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 1981 to 1983.

Early life

Hayes was the son of Arthur Hayes Sr. and Florence Gruber Hayes. He has two sisters and one brother. His father was the president of

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Education

Arthur was a graduate of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Elementary School, graduating in 1947. Around 1955, at the age of 21, Arthur received a bachelor's degree in

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

from

Santa Clara University Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California. Established in 1851, Santa Clara University is the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. The university's campus surrounds the historic Mis ...

. After turning 23, he traveled to Oxford as a

Rhodes Scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...

where he earned a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He earned his medical degree from Cornell University Medical School in 1964.

Career

Following his internship, residency, and a two-year term services in the

Army Medical Corps A medical corps is generally a military branch or officer corps responsible for medical care for serving military personnel. Such officers are typically military physicians. List of medical corps The following organizations are examples of medica ...

, he became an assistant professor of medicine and pharmacology at Cornell in 1968, and became a director of clinical pharmacology at the Pennsylvania State University Medical School in 1972. On July 18, 1981, Hayes was appointed Commissioner of the FDA by

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

. Three months later he controversially overturned an FDA review board and approved the use of aspartame in dry foods. He also shelved a ban under consideration on nitrates in meat, which cause cancer. The Chicago Tylenol murders in 1982, caused nationwide alarm after seven people died after taking Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules which had been laced with

potassium cyanide Potassium cyanide is a compound with the formula KCN. This colorless crystalline salt, similar in appearance to sugar, is highly soluble in water. Most KCN is used in gold mining, organic synthesis, and electroplating. Smaller applications includ ...

. Under Hayes' leadership, the government and the drug industry responded by developing the first federal regulations requiring tamper-evident packaging for all over-the-counter drugs. Hayes allowed a potentially hazardous infant formula to be marketed and approved the anti-arthritis drug Oraflex, only to learn of reports that the drug caused deaths and adverse reactions. He was finally investigated for accepting free lodging and travel from industry trade groups, double billing, and questionable reimbursements for private speaking engagements. He resigned on September 11, 1983, to become dean and provost of New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y. and was named president of EM Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Death

Hayes died from leukemia on February 11, 2010 at the age of 76. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Anne Carey; a son, Arthur, two daughters, Lisa Hayes and Kathy Saracino; two sisters, Mary Ann Kelley and Florence Hayes; his brother, Joseph; and eight grandchildren.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hayes, Arthur 1933 births 2010 deaths Commissioners of the Food and Drug Administration American pharmacologists Santa Clara University alumni Deaths from leukemia Deaths from cancer in Connecticut Weill Cornell Medical College alumni American Rhodes Scholars Cornell University faculty Pennsylvania State University faculty New York Medical College faculty Scientists from New York (state) Reagan administration personnel