Cathy McMorris Rodgers - Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Cathy McMorris Rodgers - Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) delivered opening remarks at a hearing titled “Evaluating FDA Human Foods and Tobacco Programs.”
“Today’s hearing is an opportunity to learn more about how two of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Centers are improving their regulation of products that have an impact on millions of American families,” said Guthrie.
Addressing issues within the FDA Centers, Guthrie stated, “Between foodborne illness outbreaks, the infant formula crisis, and the FDA’s failure to authorize tobacco harm reduction products, the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and the Center for Tobacco Products have repeatedly failed to rise to the occasion to the detriment of the American people.”
He highlighted several incidents including difficulties accessing infant formula in Kentucky, lead contamination in applesauce pouches, a listeria outbreak resulting in nine deaths and nearly 60 hospitalizations, and over seven million pounds of deli meat being removed from the market.
Guthrie attributed these problems to misaligned priorities within the FDA. He referenced a Reagan-Udall report from December 2022 which noted that while staff were dedicated to public health, cultural issues within the FDA's Human Foods Program were hindering its effectiveness. He also cited delays in addressing problems at an Abbott baby formula manufacturing facility as an example of poor communication.
Another Reagan-Udall report addressed challenges at the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), recommending proactive engagement with stakeholders and improvements in policy and scientific processes. According to Guthrie, manufacturers submitting premarket tobacco applications face prolonged waits due to unclear guidance from the CTP.
“This lack of transparency has consequences,” Guthrie said. He pointed out that without clear criteria for evaluating products, legal actions have been necessary, wasting taxpayer dollars. Additionally, he mentioned that failure to approve new products has led consumers towards illicit alternatives from China.
Guthrie emphasized that more funding would be premature without better understanding how current resources are utilized. “Until we know better how dollars are prioritized... it is premature to provide any more funding,” he stated.
“I am looking for clear results from a more transparent and predictable regulatory process,” concluded Guthrie. “I want these critical centers to succeed in their mission to protect and promote public health.”
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