Here is the link to a letter from members of Congress to the FDA with a tersely worded request for information about planned lab closings by the agency. The June 15 letter, from Rep. John
Dingell, D-Mich. with Rep. Bart
Stupak, D-Mich., asks the agency to provide Congress with a detailed explanation of what inspection services will go away if the labs are closed and more than 190 scientific specialists are cut from the agency. That number is about 40% of the total number of lab analysts working with the Office of Regulatory Affairs, the letter observes. With food imports doubling every five years, the Congressmen called planned reductions "deeply disturbing."
Also, be aware FDA headquarters is centralizing field regulatory functions, resulting in a decreased ability to enforece the law. They also intend to reduce signficantly the compliance branches around the country, again effectively deregulating industry.
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