Richard M. Johnson Named PDA President 26 August, 2009

Bethesda, Md. – The Parenteral Drug Association, Inc. (PDA) has announced the appointment of Richard M. Johnson as the Association’s next President, effective September 2009.

The search for a new president began when former President Robert Myers announced his intention to retire in late 2008.  PDA created a presidential search committee, comprised of members of the Board of Directors and association members at large, to conduct the search process. There was a strong response to the call for applications made early in 2009, with candidates for the position interviewed first by phone and then in person by the search committee and senior members of the Association’s staff.  Based on the feedback from these interviews the Board of Directors unanimously endorsed Johnson to be the next president.

PDA Chair John Shabushnig announced the appointment to PDA staff on Wednesday August 26. “PDA is delighted to have selected a new president who brings both strong technical and regulatory understanding to the position, along with a demonstrated ability to lead both large and small organizations. He has been an active volunteer and is well known to the membership. I have personally enjoyed working with Richard on the PDA Science Advisory Board, and I know he will demonstrate the same open style and enthusiasm in his new role.”

Johnson has over thirty years of experience in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, working for Abbott Laboratories, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Alcon Laboratories, and most recently as a consultant.  Johnson currently serves on PDA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), and over his 15 years as a PDA member, he has been active in the Association’s Interest Groups and conferences and has published commentary articles in the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology.

He was a key leader in PDA’s effort to work with the U.S. FDA to develop a revised guidance on aseptic processing of sterile pharmaceutical products earlier this decade. The result of PDA’s efforts was the formation of a working group in the FDA-supported Product Quality Research Institute (PQRI) which provided a number of recommendations to the FDA, many of which were ultimately incorporated into the final guidance published in 2004.

On joining the staff of the Association for which he has long volunteered, Johnson says “It is an honor to become a member of the PDA team, and I look forward to working together to advance the goals of the organization and members.”

Johnson’s first public appearance to PDA members in his new role will be September 14 at the upcoming PDA/FDA Joint Regulatory Conference in Washington, D.C.