▁president - elect ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Can cer ▁Society ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁to ▁head ▁the ▁N CI ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁As ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁N CI ▁he ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁that ▁his ▁organization ' s ▁goal ▁was ▁to ▁" el imin ate ▁suffering ▁and ▁death " ▁caused ▁by ▁cancer ▁by ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁However , ▁under ▁von ▁E schen bach ' s ▁leadership ▁the ▁F DA ▁has ▁been ▁critic ized ▁for ▁being ▁too ▁risk ▁a verse ▁when ▁considering ▁life ▁saving ▁treat ments ▁for ▁des perate , ▁dying ▁patients . ▁For ▁example , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁F DA ▁failed ▁to ▁appro ve ▁Pro ven ge ▁for ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁late ▁stage ▁pro state ▁cancer ▁against ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁an ▁independent ▁advis ory ▁committee . ▁ ▁Von ▁E schen bach ▁was ▁critic ized ▁for ▁over r uling ▁his ▁staff ▁recommend ations , ▁and ▁appro ving ▁the ▁Men af lex ▁kne e ▁impl ant , ▁made ▁by ▁Re Gen ▁Bi olog ics ▁Inc ., ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁on ▁a ▁fast - track ▁basis , ▁after ▁four ▁New ▁Jersey ▁con gress men ▁lo bb ied ▁on ▁Re Gen ' s ▁beh alf . ▁Von ▁E schen bach ▁said , ▁" We ▁f umbled ▁that ▁process ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Time ▁named ▁him ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Time ▁ 1 0 0 ▁" Pe ople ▁Who ▁Sh