The Food and Drug Administration is not staffed to handle the growing complexity of food inspection, especially now that a significant amount comes from abroad and is never inspected, a leading candidate to head the embattled agency said Wednesday.
Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic — and reported to be on President Barack Obama's short list to become FDA chief — said food inspection is swamped by the FDA's other responsibilities: the approval of medications and medical devices.
The result is an overworked and understaffed agency continually hit by sweeping food scares that sicken scores of people and sometimes result in death.
"The truth be told, the FDA is a failed agency…the main problem is that it is terribly underfunded," Nissen said. "It needs to do more inspections, especially of foods brought in internationally. We are all very vulnerable. This has to be fixed and fixed quickly."
Source: Newsday
Latest from Quality Assurance & Food Safety
- Director General of IICA and Senior USDA Officials Meet to Advance Shared Agenda
- EFSA and FAO Sign Memorandum of Understanding
- Ben Miller Breaks Down Federal Cuts, State Bans and Traceability Delays
- Michigan Officials Warn Recalled ByHeart Infant Formula Remains on Store Shelves
- Puratos USA to Launch First Professional Chocolate Product with Cultured Cocoa
- National Restaurant Association Announces Federal Policy Priorities
- USDA Offloads Washington Buildings in Reorganization Effort
- IDFA Promotes Andrew Jerome to VP of Strategic Communications and Executive Director of Foundation
