|
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, this week held a hearing to discuss reports that show the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is ill-equipped to protect the American public from unsafe products. FDA, which is charged with ensuring the safety of food, drugs, medical devices and a number of other products in the United States, is the subject of multiple investigations by Stupak’s subcommittee.
“The report’s findings are shocking and extensive,” Stupak said. “With a record 378 recalls last year on everything from peanut butter to pet food to drugs, it is clear the FDA has failed to protect the American people from unsafe products. From an oversight perspective, our role is to help identify what went wrong and implement changes to minimize negative health effects on the American people.”
The subcommittee heard testimony from FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Congressional Research Service (CRS), as well as current and former members of the FDA’s Scientific Advisory Board. As Stupak’s subcommittee has found, and as the report released by the Scientific Advisory Board concludes, the FDA – at current staffing and funding levels – is incapable of protecting the American people from unsafe food, drugs and medical devices. The report states, “In contrast to previous reviews that warned crises would arise if funding issues were not addressed, recent events and our findings indicate that some of those crises are now realities and American lives are at risk.”
“The deterioration of the FDA’s ability to protect the American people did not happen over night. This deterioration is a cancer that has developed over many years, under the watch of both Republican and Democratic administrations,” Stupak said. “This deterioration is not something that will be changed over night, but there are many recommendations that can be implemented immediately”
Some specific concerns identified by Stupak’s subcommittee, the FDA Scientific Advisory Board and the GAO include low morale, difficulty in recruiting and retaining top-notch scientists, an inability to protect the nation’s food supply and obsolete information technology systems. It was also noted that over the past 35 years, the decrease in FDA funding has forced the agency to impose a 78-percent reduction in food inspections.
FDA is already taking some steps to address problems that have been identified. Just last week it was announced that the agency would be implementing a recommendation from Stupak’s subcommittee to place FDA personnel in foreign countries such as China and India to inspect goods at the point of production. Although an important first step, Stupak noted more must be done.
“This hearing should serve as a turning point in the history of the FDA,” Stupak said. “The FDA and Congress have an opportunity to put the agency back on the right track by implementing the recommendations of the Science Board. Congress is not willing to just throw more money at the problem. We will require a realistic plan with vision and measurable results to ensure the promises made are commitments kept.”
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will likely hold additional hearings in 2008 on food, drug and import safety. More information about Oversight and Investigations hearings can be found at http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/ovin.shtml
|
|
|
![[News From Congressman Bart Stupak]](stupakpr.gif)
![[flag bar page separator]](flag_bar.gif){kind=small}
