FDAnews
www.fdanews.com/articles/81817-director-of-new-psychiatry-products-division-named

DIRECTOR OF NEW PSYCHIATRY PRODUCTS DIVISION NAMED

October 20, 2005

The FDA has appointed Thomas Laughren director of the newly formed Division of Psychiatry Products within the Office of Drug Evaluation I.

Laughren joined the FDA in 1983 as a medical officer in the Division of Neuropharmacological Drug Products, and he has served as leader of the division's Psychiatric Drug Products Group for the last 16 years.

"Dr. Laughren has helped the agency weather a number of regulatory crises over the years in the always controversial area of psychotropic drugs and has led us in developing labeling for antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs that both warns appropriately about risks and consequences of misuse and recognizes the therapeutic value of the drugs," said Robert Temple, director of the Office of Drug Evaluation I.