Eric Greb, in The PharmTech Talk blog, discusses the possible consequences when the US House of Representatives passes hands to the GOP in January 2011. With their stated cost-cutting agenda, every government department involved with domestic spending is at potential risk of cuts -- including the FDA.
PharmTech Talk » Memo to Congress: Hands off FDA.
However, the FDA is already straining under increasing levels of responsibility, e.g regulation of tobacco. Moreover, a recent GAO report criticized the FDA's lack of oversight of foreign pharma manufacturing plants, the majority of which have never been inspected.
The post questions the wisdom of cutting this department's budget if we want to keep the public health and safety secure. I would second the writer's opinion that there must be other areas where cuts can be better directed.
The agency still stands as the last line of defense for the safety of the pharmaceuticals we take -- and there have been ample examples in the past several years of problems with raw materials in the supply chain and drug manufacturing sites where we need all the help that we can get.
Posted by Bruce Lehr November 15th 2010.
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