AHPA endorses Federal Food Administration Act

• By: AHPA
• On: 07/23/2024 16:58:37
• In: Regulation / Legislation

The American Herbal Products Association has endorsed the Federal Food Administration Act of 2024 as introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also joined the introduction as an original cosponsor.

This legislation would separate food from drugs, medical devices, and other products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), rename FDA as the Federal Drug Administration, and establish the Federal Food Administration as a new federal agency responsible for ensuring the safety of food on the U.S. market.

In introducing the bill, Senator Durbin and Representative DeLauro stated that, despite recent organizational efforts at FDA to improve the prioritization of food safety, a new agency with a single focus on foods and a directly Senate-confirmed commissioner was necessary, citing the 2022 infant formula shortage and a recent episode of applesauce pouches contaminated with lead.

AHPA's support for the legislation follows from its endorsement of a substantively similar bill introduced in 2022. As with previous versions of the bill, AHPA's endorsement remains conditional upon the legislation continuing to ensure that the new Federal Food Administration would regulate dietary supplements with other foods.