President Obama recently nominated two Harvard graduates to lead the much-maligned FDA. Dr. Margaret Hamburg and Dr. Joshua Sharfstein clearly have the intellect, educational background and real world experience to adequately handle the positions of FDA commissioner and deputy commissioner. Read more about them here.
The real question is whether or not the FDA has become so large and unwieldy that it should be totally overhauled and broken into separate agencies.
Obviously, the underfunded structure and oversight ability of the current FDA needs drastic change. There have been too many defective drugs and medical devices, tainted food and dangerous toys allowed to enter the marketplace.
After all of the recent tainted peanut butter, lettuce and peppers scares, some in Congress think a separate food agency is necessary. If the FDA is given additional oversight over tobacco, their workload will only increase.
We should be encouraged that the president has carefully considered and chosen such bright and capable nominees for this important post. Congress needs to take the additional step of adequately funding the FDA so it can get about the business of protecting all of us.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2011
