Fortenberry: FDA Gets a C on Inspection of Drugs

Statement

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) issued the following statement today after the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration hearing on the FDA's Foreign Drug Inspections Program.

"C. That's the grade the FDA gets on inspection of our drugs, according to the director of health care at the Government Accountability Office. The GAO recently conducted an extensive study on the safety of our drug supply and discovered that FDA is failing to inspect drug manufacturing facilities overseas. Some drug facilities have not been inspected for five years or more," said Fortenberry, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee overseeing the FDA.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has called attention to a much-overlooked problem. In the name of global profiteering, we've enabled the outsourcing of pharmaceutical production to foreign countries--a significant portion of it to the very place of origin of the coronavirus in China," Fortenberry said.

"To achieve a much higher inspection grade, I raised the issue of establishing a grading system for manufacturing facilities. FDA's lack of inspection overseas has likely enticed manufacturers to move out of the United States. Frankly, I'd like to see "Made in America' on every prescription bottle. I'd feel a whole lot better," Fortenberry said.

"To be fair, the GAO also said the U.S. enjoys the best inspection regime in the world, and there is a high level of confidence in our drug supply, though there is still much work to do," Fortenberry added.

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