FDA Subcommittee Says U.S. Food Supply at Risk

WASHINGTON ¯ America’s food supply is at risk, as are the regulatory systems in place to oversee the nation’s drug and device supplies, according to a subcommittee of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Science Board in a report presented Dec. 3.

The subcommittee attributed the deficiencies to soaring demands on the FDA and resources that have not increased in proportion to those demands.

The study’s authors conclude "this imbalance is imposing a significant risk to the integrity of the food, drug, cosmetic and device regulatory system, and hence the safety of the public."

The result of a year-long review by a panel of experts, the subcommittee’s 300-page report concluded the state of FDA’s scientific and regulatory programs could not be separated from the lack of resources. It urged funds to support the agency’s scientific base, hire a broadly-capable scientific workforce, and build a sophisticated, modern information technology infrastructure.

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