Failing Grade for the Food and Drug Administration - and Our Security
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Earlier this year, there was the danger of contaminated pet food. Pets were dying. The anecdotal reports were that hundreds of pets were sick and not surviving. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not give a definitive number. And the FDA continued to lag behind in providing timely valid information.
Now there is a report and assessment of the FDA:
“The report is scathing. An expert panel has told the Food and Drug Administration that the organization is so understaffed and underfunded, it puts American lives at risk. The report is scathing. An expert panel has told the Food and Drug Administration that the organization is so understaffed and underfunded, it puts American lives at risk.”
link: FDA Is Broken, Endangers American Lives
This is basic. It is what you and I buy, put in our kitchens and serve as food. This impacts on you and every member of your family - and your neighbours. It cuts across age, political persuasion, religious affiliation, geo-political boundaries - everything.
The government focus is on security and protecting such things as borders, immigration, flight passenger lists and a litany of other concerns. Dangers are daily news items, on every media service. It would seem prudent that equal care be paid to the fundamentals. It may be as simple as re-assuring that what you and your neighbor are serving for breakfast, lunch and supper is safe. We served contaminated food to our pets. They became sick. Some died. Let’s take that disaster and this report as harbingers.
Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/
[tag]food and drug administration, security, report, pet food, government[/tag]

One Comment
Mike
December 4th, 2007
at 10:39am
Don’t blame the FDA…blame our wonderful CONGRESS! They are the ones who continually cut the FDA’s budget yet expect miracles from them. I saw one Congress-woman on the news actually saying she will NOT approve a larger budget until the FDA has some clear management in place and has, basically, a plan of attack. This is why the FDA is in the shape it’s in.
Hey Congress, here’s a thought–get them out from under HHS and make them their own entity and provide them a budget large enough for them to actually implement these safeguards everyone is whining about not having in place.
How is the FDA supposed to attract more inspectors if they cannot hire or even pay them to do so–this is why they are losing so many to the private sector.
I am not an FDA worker but have close ties and KNOW exactly what is going on–our government is screwing it’s own citizens and then trying to blame their OWN government workers and entities for problems the CONGRESS created.
It’s not these agencies that need overhauling IT’S THE GOVT!!
think about that…peace!