Recent Editorials Address Problems At FDA
Akron Beacon Journal: FDA is "so overburdened, it poses a national health risk," the Beacon Journal writes in an editorial. According to the editorial, as "domestic and foreign production soars, the FDA has been stretched to the point of collapse," and the "agency is unable to keep up with its schedule of inspections of the domestic and foreign plants." Reviews have found that "FDA is severely underfunded and understaffed"; however, its tasks have "expanded such that the agency" cannot "function effectively without substantial increases in funds and incentives to reverse the high turnover of staff," the editorial states. The editorial concludes, "What will it take for Congress and the White House to address the neglect and provide" FDA with the "resources to ensure the necessary level of safety?" (Akron Beacon Journal, 2/4).
New York Times: FDA "lacks scientists who understand rapidly emerging technologies -- including genomics and nanotechnology -- relevant to product safety," and the "agency is further hobbled by a high turnover rate of scientists, a decrepit information technology system, a weak organizational structure and a shrinking inspection force," a Times editorial states. In addition, the Government Accountability Office "warns that, at a time when imports are pouring in from all over the globe, the agency does not have enough staff or adequate computer systems to conduct timely inspections of foreign plants that make drugs, medical devices and food products," according to the editorial. "Congress has repeatedly piled new burdens on the FDA -- more than 100 statutes have added new responsibilities over the past 20 years -- without providing enough money and personnel to carry out the tasks," and the agency faces the "increasing complexity of modern medical products and the flood of food and drug ingredients from abroad," the editorial states. The editorial adds that "FDA desperately needs an infusion of money and talent" (New York Times, 2/3). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Adresa probleme editoriale recentã la FDA - Recent Editorials Address Problems At FDA - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate