FDA plans international offices

WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration said it expects to place employees in four regions of the world to improve the safety of exports of food and drugs by the end of 2009, according to Bloomberg.

U.S. regulators would work full time in China, India, Europe and Latin America, said Murray Lumpkin, the FDA’s deputy commissioner of international and special programs, during a briefing yesterday. Employees would later be stationed in the Middle East.

The Bush administration and lawmakers have called for improvements in the safety of imports after tainted items from China, such as an ingredient in the blood thinner heparin and toys with lead paint, reached consumers. Members of Congress said the FDA hasn’t conducted enough inspections abroad as food and drug imports by the U.S. have increased.

The FDA is awaiting final approval from the Chinese government to permanently station employees in the country. FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach announced his plans to station employees overseas in January.

The agency currently doesn’t have any offices abroad and sometimes sends inspectors. FDA employees overseas would work with governments and companies to improve the safety of food and other products and would conduct inspections, according to the agency.