 
February 4, 2008
New York Times Editorial Urges Funding, Staffing for FDA
In a February 3 editorial, The New York Times evaluates the United States’ Food and Drug Administration, calling for increased funding and talent after the agency’s former chief counsel, Peter Barton Hutt, announced last week that the FDA was “barely hanging on by its fingertips” (nytimes.com, 2/3).
Recent reports show that the FDA is short-staffed and unable to properly inspect foreign food products, medical equipment and drugs due to its outdated technology.
According to the Times editorial, “The reason for the agency’s woes is simple. 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.”
In the essay, Hutt proposes that the FDA double both its current funding and its staff over the next two years to alleviate these stresses on productivity.
Scroll down to comment on this story.
Previous Comments:
[Go to top]
|
