Books like A Question of Intent by David A. Kessler

When David Kessler assumed leadership of the Food and Drug Administration in 1990, the agency faced years of deregulatory pressure and corruption. While addressing food labeling disputes, product tampering tragedies, and medical export scandals, Kessler confronted a new, critical question: why had the FDA not regulated tobacco, the nation’s leading killer? Washington officials cited the industry’s size and influence, labeling an effort to regulate it a fool’s errand. Kessler, with a small group of FDA investigators, embarked on a historic inquiry into the tobacco industry’s clandestine operations. They interviewed whistleblowers, conducted forensic tests, and uncovered confidential documents, revealing the industry’s infiltration of science, law, and government. Armed with new evidence, Kessler engaged in a high‑stakes political struggle that involved all branches of federal government, reshaping public policy on tobacco regulation.

First publish date: 2001