Durbin presses for FDA reforms recommended by Reagan-Udall Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut urged the head of the Food and Drug Administration to improve the agency’s response to illnesses spread through human food, especially in regard to infant formula.

Durbin and DeLauro based their request on an external evaluation made by the Reagan-Udall Foundation, a private not-for-profit named for former President Ronald Reagan, who died of complications because of Alzheimer’s, and Rep. Morris “Mo” Udall who battled Parkinson’s disease, that supports the FDA’s mission.

In a letter sent Thursday to FDA Commisioner Robert Califf, Durbin and DeLauro wrote: “We were pleased to see your announcement last month that you would implement some of our recommendations, including the appointment of a Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. This is an important step, but we believe more can, and should be done.”

The letter then details the findings of the report that Reagan-Udall issued in December. The foundation recommends that the FDA increase food inspections according to 2011′s Food Safety Modernization Act and integrate these in the human foods program.

Domestic food inspections are down from 10,635 in 2011 to 4,535 in 2021, according to the report, despite the agency being given additional tools and resources through the legislation.

Durbin and DeLauro also cited a 2017 report by the office of Inspector General that found that the FDA inspectors did not take action when it uncovered violations or relied on the facilities to voluntarily correct problems. Follow-up inspections were not done in a timely manner, the 2017 report added.

“We commend you for the initial steps you have taken to improve FDA’s food oversight program. But additional, bold action is necessary, in line with the recommendations from the Reagan-Udall report,” the lawmakers concluded.

Bacteria or viruses in food annually cause 48 million Americans to become sickened, 128,000 to be hospitalized and 3,000 deaths, Durbin and DeLauro assert. They also say the FDA has missed deadlines to establish measures to prevent outbreaks, as required by the 2011 law.

The Reagan-Udall Foundation’s primary recommendation is that FDA be relieved of this inspection responsibility and new agency be formed that has a single mission: ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply. Durbin, DeLauro and Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut introduced legislation in July that would create the Food Safety Administration.