FDA Cutting Back Even More

Excerpt AP report at Seattle PI "FDA Consolidation Plan May Close Labs":

As many as seven of the federal laboratories that help safeguard the nation's food and drugs could close, an environmental and public health group said Thursday.

A proposed Food and Drug Administration plan to consolidate its network of labs could leave half of them shuttered, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility said. The labs test food, cosmetics, drugs and other medical products for safety, purity, effectiveness and to ensure they are properly labeled. They also help investigate public health threats such as the recent outbreaks of E. coli in spinach and lettuce.

The group believes the closures could slow the response to a bioterrorism attack or outbreak of foodborne illness.

...

No laboratories were mentioned by name in Glavin's e-mail. The group listed as being considered for closure the facilities in Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

I'm betting that the San Francisco office is the closest on to the massive northern and central California vegetable growing region.

tags: fda  vegetable  diseases  bio terrorism  

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