:John Nestor
{{short description|American government official}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Nestor
| birth_name = John Oliver Nestor
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1912|11|07}}
| birth_place = Franklin, New Jersey, United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|05|01|1912|11|07}}
| death_place = Northern Virginia, United States
| occupation = Physician, government medical officer
| employer = U.S. Food and Drug Administration
| known_for = Whistleblower; driving habits
| module = {{Infobox military person |embed=yes
| allegiance =
| branch = United States Navy
| battles = World War II
| awards = Bronze Star for Valor
}}
}}
John Oliver Nestor (November 7, 1912 – May 1, 1999){{cite news |title=Physician John Nestor Dies |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1999/05/05/physician-john-nestor-dies/48d60d60-4377-4921-a930-710b7d2494e2/ |access-date=14 April 2019 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=5 May 1999}} was a U.S. Food and Drug Administration medical officer and whistleblower.
Early life
Nestor was born in Franklin, New Jersey,{{r|obit}} and had nine siblings. He graduated from Georgetown University medical school in 1940.{{r|strife}} During World War II, he served in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon and was awarded a Bronze Star for valor for his actions in Corsica in 1944. Specifically, during a bombing and strafing raid, left his trench's safety to provide first aid to the wounded and help ensure their evacuation.{{r|obit}}
Career
After the war, Nestor served as chief resident at Children's Hospital. While in private practice, he taught pediatrics at Georgetown and Howard University medical schools, as well as consulting with hospitals and government agencies. In 1961, Nestor joined the FDA.{{r|obit}}
During his employment at the FDA, Nestor revealed to the public that FDA leaders pressured reviewers, demanding new drugs be approved without adequate testing. He testified to Congress about the influence of pharmaceutical companies at the FDA{{cite book | pages=iii-iv | title=The Successes and Failures of Whistleblower Laws | last=Vaughn | first=Robert G. |year=2021 | isbn=9781849808385 | publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing}} and about FDA officials allowing drugs to stay on the market even after serious side effects had been identified.{{cite news| newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=March 21, 1963 | page=30 | title=Merrell Drug Sale Cited In Indictment of FDA}} Despite receiving commendations from the Justice Department for uncovering fraudulent lab reports, Nestor was transferred from drug review duties by the FDA. Nestor fought the transfer and eventually resumed reviewing drugs.{{cite news | newspaper=The Journal Herald (Dayton, Ohio) | date=September 6, 1977 | page=20 | last=Greenberg | first=Daniel S. | title=FDA head makes few internal changes}}
On March 19, 1972, the FDA reassigned Nestor to its Office of Compliance,{{cite news |last1=Schmeck |first1=Harold M. |title=Nader Group Sees Pressure on F.d.a. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/03/archives/nader-group-sees-pressure-on-fda-asks-congressional-inquiry-on.html |access-date=14 April 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=3 April 1972}} as part of a reorganization in which Civil Service doctors were replaced as drug approvers by consultants who were often affiliated with commercial companies.{{cite news | newspaper=The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) | date=May 21, 1972 | page=4 | title=FDA's Effectiveness Impeded by Pressures | last=Roosevelt | first=Edith Kermit}} Nestor began a grievance proceeding. A review panel determined that senior FDA officials gave "misleading" testimony against Nestor and concluded that Nestor was due an apology and appropriate duties.{{r|greenberg}} In 1977, the FDA commissioner restored Nestor to the position he held before the 1972 transfer.{{cite news | newspaper=The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana) | date=October 27, 1977 | page=39 | title=FDA to Propose Reform of Nation's Drug Laws}}{{cite news |title=John Nestor: Strife in the Fast Lane |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/11/21/john-nestor-strife-in-the-fast-lane/177dbb31-aeed-499e-8be4-9de519efd37a/ |access-date=14 April 2019 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=21 November 1984}}
Robert G. Vaughn wrote in his book "The Successes and Failures of Whistleblower Laws" that Nestor "became one of the best-known FDA whistleblowers of all time."{{cite book |last1=Vaughn |first1=Robert G. |title=The Successes and Failures of Whistleblower Laws |date=2012 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |isbn=9781849808385 |page=ix |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehyXHwqikIsC&q=%22John+Nestor%22++&pg=PR8 |access-date=14 April 2019 |language=en}}
Driving practices
Nestor also achieved fame in the Washington, D.C. area in 1984 after The Washington Post published his letter describing his favored driving method: On highways Nestor would settle his vehicle in the far left lane and set the cruise control at the speed limit, at the time 55 mph. He would not move to the right for drivers behind him. "Why," he asked, "should I inconvenience myself for someone who wants to speed?" {{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/10/21/DI2008102100590.html|title=John Kelly's Washington|last=Kelly|first=John|date=2008-10-24|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2008-10-31}} Nestor also believed he was performing a public service by forcing people to obey the nationwide 55 mile-per-hour speed limit.{{cite news|first=Curt|last=Suplee|title=John Nestor: Strife in the Fast Lane|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=21 November 1984|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/11/21/john-nestor-strife-in-the-fast-lane/177dbb31-aeed-499e-8be4-9de519efd37a/}} Nestor's letter enraged many motorists and led Paul J. Leonard to coin the term 'Nestoring' to describe the practice in another letter to the editor.{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/124147412.html?dids=124147412&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS&date=Nov+10%2C+1984&author=JOHN+E.+DAVENPORT+Silver+Spring&pub=The+Washington+Post++(1974-Current+file)&edition=&startpage=A22&desc=Letter+to+the+Editor+6+--+No+Title|title=Letter to the Editor 6 -- No Title|last=Davenport|first=John E.|date=1984-11-10|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2008-10-31|archive-date=October 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017082552/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/124147412.html?dids=124147412&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS&date=Nov+10,+1984&author=JOHN+E.+DAVENPORT+Silver+Spring&pub=The+Washington+Post++(1974-Current+file)&edition=&startpage=A22&desc=Letter+to+the+Editor+6+--+No+Title|url-status=dead}}
Death
Nestor died of renal failure in 1999 at the age of 86 at the Hospice of Northern Virginia; he had lived in Virginia for 50 years.{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-595284.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022035129/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-595284.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-22|title=Physician John Nestor Dies; FDA Official Renowned for Strict Driving Habits |last=Weil|first=Martin|date=1999-05-05|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2008-10-31}}