The Food and Drug Administration has requested $7.2 billion as a component of the proposed Federal FY 2025 budget.
 

According to the Commissioner, Dr. Robert M. Califf, “This new funding request will help us build on our accomplishments (?) and also modernize our Agency and operations as we plan for the future.”  Included in the request is an additional $15 million to promote a safe and nutritious U.S. food supply.  The newly created FDA Human Foods Initiative will allow the Agency to “prevent or mitigate foodborne illness outbreaks”.  The request also supports programs to reduce diet-related chronic diseases and attain the goals of the National Strategy for Hunger, Nutrition and Health.

The Agency is requesting $114 million to support recruitment and support of a public health workforce.  Does this represent a duplication of the activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? 

It is noted that the Agency will request $1 million to expand foreign offices and strengthen the quality of imported products.  Given that a high proportion of our pharmaceuticals are manufactured in China or India, this appears to be an inconsequential amount given the magnitude of the tasks facing the Agency. The FDA has the obligation to certify the quality, safety and purity of imported drugs available to U.S. consumers.

The FDA is also requesting new authorization relating to the safety of foods including infant formula through binding limits for contaminants, testing of final products, environmental monitoring for pathogens and mandatory reporting.

Each year the FDA requests a larger allocation of funds citing real challenges and problems that as an Agency they are unable to address and resolve.  Under the immediate-previous and current Commissioners, the U.S. public has been subjected to a number of food-related crises with evident negligence, inactivity and incompetence demonstrated by the Agency.

It is time for a new, independent food safety and nutrition agency independent of the FDA.