Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House Takes Aim At Chemical Toxins In Baby Food
Politico: Biden’s FDA Looks To Tackle Heavy Metals In Baby Food
The Biden administration said Friday it plans to clamp down on toxic heavy metals commonly found in baby food. The move comes after a House Oversight subcommittee last month released a report finding that major baby food companies sold products that their own internal testing showed contained arsenic, lead and cadmium at levels far higher than what most health experts consider safe for infants. The findings panicked parents already under considerable stress during the pandemic. (Evich, 3/5)
CNN: 'Consider Chemical Hazards' In The Baby Foods You Sell, FDA Warns Manufacturers
All baby food manufacturers must consider toxic chemicals when they test their baby food for potential hazards, the US Food and Drug Administration said Friday. "We appreciate your attention to your obligation to consider potential chemical hazards, including toxic elements, when conducting a hazard analysis," wrote Susan Mayne, director of the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and Dr. Janet Woodcock, the FDA's acting commissioner of food and drugs, in a letter addressed to all baby and toddler food manufacturers and processors. (LaMotte, 3/5)
The Washington Post: Biden's FDA Takes Baby Steps Toward Limiting Toxic Heavy Metals In Commercial Baby Foods
The FDA statement also said the agency will increase inspections and testing of baby and toddler foods for heavy metals and make public the results. It will support research that identifies “additional steps that industry can take to further reduce levels,” the agency said in a statement. The guidance marks a first step toward expanding FDA oversight over commercial baby food. (Reiley, 3/5)
In other news about the FDA —
CIDRAP: GAO Spotlights FDA's COVID-Related Drug Inspection Backlog
In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was unable to complete more than 1,000 of its drug inspections, putting the quality of drugs sold on the US market at risk, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) testimony report to a House subcommittee yesterday. Concerns over this backlog have been raised by industry stakeholders as the pandemic has continued, and in GAO's testimony to the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies, it underscores its inspection-related recommendations from January while adding further insights into inspection trends and potential barriers. (McLernon, 3/5)
