Charles Edwards Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2005
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Languages:
English
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Charles Edwards Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0447
Physical Description:
3.4 Linear feet
(6 archives boxes and 3 oversize folders)
Date (inclusive): 1970-1979
Abstract: Papers of Charles Edwards, physician, surgeon, administrator, and former Assistant Secretary for Health (1973-1975) of the
United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Edwards also served as Commissioner (1969-1973) of the United States
Food and Drug Administration, senior vice president (1975-1977) of Becton, Dickinson and Co., chief executive officer (1977-1991)
of The Scripps Research Institute and CEO (1991-1995) of Scripps Institute of Medicine.
Scope and Content of Collection
Papers of Charles Edwards, physician, surgeon, administrator, and former Assistant Secretary for Health (1973-1975) of the
United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Edwards also served as Commissioner (1969-1973) of the United States
Food and Drug Administration, senior vice president (1975-1977) of Becton, Dickinson and Co., chief executive officer (1977-1991)
of The Scripps Research Institute and CEO (1991-1995) of Scripps Institute of Medicine. The collection contains speeches,
articles, newspaper clippings, awards and certificates, and correspondence documenting the achievements of a government official,
medical officer and administrator in the medical supply industry.
The collection is arranged in five series: 1) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS, 4) PHOTOGRAPHS, and
5) NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS.
SERIES 1: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL
The MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL series (1970-1983) contains a biographical sketch, a report compiled during Edwards' presidency
of TSRI, memorabilia, and certificates and awards. Included are certificates of appointment to the post of Commissioner of
the FDA, signed by Caspar Weinberger, and to the post of Assistant Secretary of H.E.W., signed by President Richard Nixon.
For newspaper articles about and published interviews with Charles Edwards, see the NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS series.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series contains primarily letters of congratulations sent to Edwards upon his appointment to the post
of Assistant Secretary for Health in 1973. Included is a letter from President Ford accepting Edwards' resignation from H.E.W.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS
The WRITINGS series (1970-1979) is arranged in two subseries: A) Articles and B) Speeches.
A) The Articles subseries is arranged alphabetically and contains magazine and newspaper articles by Charles Edwards, principally
on the subject of public health.
B) The Speeches subseries (1970-1979) is arranged chronologically and contains presentations delivered during Edwards' relationship
with the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Becton, Dickinson and Co., and The
Scripps Research Institute. This collection of speeches delivered by Edwards is nearly comprehensive, lacking only the speeches
from 1976. Included are dedications, addresses, press conference statements, symposia remarks, acceptance speeches, and professional
presentations to committees and subcommittees of both the U.S. Government and private industry. Topics include food and drug
safety, the role of the FDA, public health concerns, the regulation of public health costs and health insurance, and points
of progress in the health care field.
SERIES 4: PHOTOGRAPHS
The PHOTOGRAPHS series includes images from various trips, conferences and ceremonies; a portrait of Edwards; an autographed
portrait of Caspar Weinberger; and two of Edwards' personal photograph albums containing pictures from trips to Cairo and
Moscow.
SERIES 5: NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
Newspaper clippings (1970-1979) are arranged topically by folder and then chronologically within each folder. Topics include
general biographical information, drugs and drug safety, food labels and food safety, health care, the National Institutes
of Health, and interviews with Edwards.
Biography
Dr. Charles C. Edwards was born on September 16, 1923, in Overton, Ohio. He attended Princeton University (1941-43) and then
transferred to the University of Colorado, where he completed his A.B. in 1945 and his M.D. in 1948. He received an M.S. in
surgery from the University of Minnesota in 1956. After teaching surgery (1957-62), maintaining a private practice (1956-61)
and serving in several capacities at the American Medical Association (1962-67), Edwards was appointed Commissioner of the
United States Food and Drug Administration in December of 1969. His work in the FDA (1969-73) included the discovery and recall
of tuna fish poisoned with mercury, the standardization of food nutrition labels, a ban on the cattle fattening chemical D.E.S.,
and the removal of dangerous dyes and other substances from cosmetics. In April of 1973, Edwards was appointed to the position
of Assistant Secretary for Health of the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare under Caspar Weinberger.
In this position he continued to focus on consumer safety while expanding his responsibilities to encompass investigations
concerning the regulation and equitable provision of health care in the United States and world-wide.
In 1975 he resigned as Assistant Secretary to accept a position as senior vice president of Becton, Dickinson and Co., a
world-leading manufacturer of medical supplies and equipment. In 1977 Edwards was appointed president and chief executive
officer of The Scripps Research Institute (Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation). He also served as president of the National
Health Council in 1977.
Dr. Edwards passed away in 2011.
Preferred Citation
Charles Edwards Papers, MSS 447. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 1998.
OFF-SITE STORAGE
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.
Related Materials
Scripps Research Institute Office of Public Affairs Records. MSS 72. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Medicine research -- California
Hospitals -- California -- San Diego County
Medicine -- California -- San Diego County -- History
Medical laboratories -- California
Clinics -- California -- San Diego County
Edwards, Charles C. -- Archives
Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006 -- Correspondence
Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation -- History
United States. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
United States. Food and Drug Administration
Scripps Research Institute -- History
Box 1, Folder 2, Oversize FB-218-01
Certificates and awards
1956 - 1984
Box 1, Folder 3
Competitive Status of the U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry. Report prepared by the Pharmaceutical Panel, Committee on Technology
and International Economic and Trade Issues (Charles Edwards, Chairman)
1983
Box 1, Folder 5
Orientation packet for Food and Drug Administration
1970
Box 1, Folder 6
Letter from President Ford
1974
Box 1, Folder 7-11
Letters of congratulations to Edwards, Assistant Secretary for Health
1973
Box 1, Folder 12
Telegram to Dr. Howard
1974
Box 1, Folder 13
American Health Care System: A Prognosis - Reprinted from
Transactions - American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology
1975
Box 1, Folder 14
Case Against a Mandatory National Health Insurance Plan - Opinion,
Des Moines Register
December 1978
Box 1, Folder 15
Edwards Strikes Back in the Post -
Science
1974
Box 1, Folder 16
Goodbye Community Hospital -
American Medical News
September 1979
Box 1, Folder 17
Health Insurance: An Idea Whose Time Has Gone -
San Diego Union
March 1979
Box 1, Folder 18
My Strategy for a Healthier America -
Medical Opinion
1974
Box 1, Folder 19
Time for a National Health Authority -
Hospital Progress
June 1976
Box 1, Folder 20
Toward a New Understanding -
Medical Marketing and Media
December 1970
Box 1, Folder 21
What You Can Do to Combat High Blood Pressure -
Family Health
November 1973
Box 1, Folder 22
Yearly Health Care Bill Tops $185 Billion - Editorial,
San Diego Union
July 1978
Food and Drug Administration
Health, Education and Welfare
Box 5, Folder 2-3
Becton, Dickinson and Company
1975 - 1976
The Scripps Research Institute
Box 6, Folder 2
World Federation of Proprietary Medicine Manufacturers - Includes program
1979
Box 6, Folder 3, Oversize FB-218-02
Cairo Trip photograph album
Box 6, Folder 4
Edwards, Charles - Portrait
Box 6, Folder 5
Food Labeling Briefing
1973
Box 6, Folder 6, Oversize FB-218-03
Box 6, Folder 8
Swearing-in ceremony
1973
Box 6, Folder 9
Twenty-Sixth World Health Assembly, Geneva - Includes invitation and agenda information
1973
Box 6, Folder 10
Weinberger, Caspar - Portrait
Box 6, Folder 11
White House Conference for Scientific and Medical Writers
1973
Box 6, Folder 12-13
About Edwards - General information on Charles Edwards
1970 - 1979, undated
Box 6, Folder 14
Drugs and drug safety - F.D.A.
1969 - 1975
Box 6, Folder 15
Food labels and food safety - F.D.A.
1970 - 1973
Box 6, Folder 17
Interviews with Edwards
1970 - 1979
Box 6, Folder 18
National Institutes of Health
1973 - 1975
