Obama to order full review of FDA operations

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

President Barack Obama is ordering a “complete review” of the Food and Drug Administration after it failed to detect shipments of salmonella-contaminated peanut products that have sickened more than 500 people and may be linked to as many as eight deaths, he told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer.

In an interview that aired Monday, Obama said the agency’s failure to recognize and intercept the products was only the latest of numerous “instances over the last several years” in which “the FDA has not been able to catch some of these things as quickly as I expect them to catch.”

He did not cite what other incidents he was referring to. But critics have accused the administration of former President George W. Bush of having crippled the agency by cutting its budget over the last eight years.

“At bare minimum, we should be able to count on our government keeping our kids safe when they eat peanut butter,” Obama told Lauer in the interview, which was conducted Sunday at the White House.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28969400/

[ogneopasno]

1. Excellent. Get government to do what it's supposed to do!

[sailor65]

2. Good for him

I don't know about any of you, but my family dynamic would crumble without peanut butter!

Kidding, but good call on his part.

[groundloop]

3. I saw a news report...

that the owner of that company was on an FDA advisory board. Talk about foxes guarding the hen house.

[glinda]

4. FDA needs serious overhauling. More workers!

[jwirr]

5. And since *ss has been placing useless friends in all the high places

President Obama needs to watch the performance of the workers. Are they producing.

[Politicalboi]

6. Well having Mercury

In our corn syrup for the last 5 years I'm sure hasn't done us any good either.

[lutefisk]

7. How about a full review of all personnel hired since January, 2001?

We all know that the Bush Administration loaded up federal agencies with young college Republicans and other unqualified right wing loyalists, while at the same time purging agencies of anyone in their way. It's almost like having foreign agents running our federal government - those people need to go back and finish college or something. Just stay away from the people's government.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

8. It isn't just the FDA, it's also the SEC...

... and the USDA that come to mind as to agencies that have been underfunded or forced into reductions in force. It happens everytime a Republican is in the white house or running a committee in congress (Hi, Phil Gramm!). I think you get the idea.

[mt13]

9. that is great news.

the FDA has become somewhat of a joke, albeit a very scary joke

[wroberts189]

10. Whats this ? Common sense? I must be dreaming. eom

[bos1]

11. more "adult supervision" for the US -- and that's good

[Javaman]

12. Two simple fixes...

1)fully fund it 2) don't pack it full of ex-pharma corp execs.