FDA “Scales Back Enforcement” of Quality Controls on Medical Devices

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March 3, 2009FDA “Scales Back Enforcement” of Quality Controls on Medical DevicesFor the past five years, the FDA has been reducing their inspections at medical device laboratories, and are not planning to conduct any inspections at all in 2009—a decision that “may result in an irreversible cascade of adverse consequences to the protection of the public.” “Vaccines Court” Protects Drug ManufacturersWyeth Pharmaceuticals and other manufacturers of childhood vaccines are being shielded from many lawsuits, while lawmakers complain that drug companies are pushing for even more immunity. Critics believe that this “buffer zone” prevents vaccine makers from having to exercise greater oversight and quality control.Many Americans Suffer Food Poisoning Without Realizing It; FDA a Failure at Food SafetyThis year there will be an estimated 87,000 cases of food poisoning in this country—affecting nearly one in every four Americans. Most of these will not be the highly publicized outbreaks, but viruses, bacteria, and parasites ingested at home or in neighborhood restaurants. After the salmonella outbreak at the Peanut Corporation of America, many were shocked to discover that the FDA had never inspected the plant most responsible for the outbreak, and was not even aware of the plant’s existence. All these problems may be leading to a bad congressional bill—stay tuned.________Deborah Ray, M.T. (ASCP) - Editor ________Thank you for reading AAHF's Pulse on Health Freedom. Sharing our newsletter and alerts with others helps to build our advocate community. That kind of networking has allowed AAHF to send hundreds of thousands of petitions and letters to Congress, State Legislatures, and the FDA.To ensure that we can continue to defend health freedom with these types of campaigns, and so that we can expand our efforts in order to create the biggest impact possible, we need your financial support. Please consider joining AAHF today for as little as $25. This will help to keep our issues in the forefront with decision makers. Or consider making a tax-deductible donation to HFF, which educates policy makers and the public. Either way, you will be helping us to continue our mission of protecting the right of the consumer to choose and the practitioner to practice.________AAHF Pulse of Health FreedomThis newsletter is copyrighted material (copyright by American Association for Health Freedom, 2009) but we hope you will forward, copy, or reprint it without prior authorization. Just remember to note the source and date -- American Association for Health Freedom, March 3, 2009.