{"id":10826,"date":"2022-02-15T14:29:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T19:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/health\/?p=10826"},"modified":"2022-03-29T21:21:18","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T02:21:18","slug":"the-new-fda-commissioner-has-a-full-plate-here-are-three-steps-he-can-take-to-keep-focused-on-food-safety-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/health\/2022\/02\/15\/the-new-fda-commissioner-has-a-full-plate-here-are-three-steps-he-can-take-to-keep-focused-on-food-safety-too\/","title":{"rendered":"The new FDA Commissioner has a full plate; here are 3 steps he can take to keep focused on food safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tom Neltner<\/span><\/i><\/a>, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The U.S. Senate today voted to return Robert Califf to the role of FDA Commissioner, bringing needed leadership to an agency that plays a vital role in protecting public health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Dr. Califf faces historic challenges in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic, he also has a tremendous opportunity to elevate the agency\u2019s important role in protecting the public from unsafe chemicals in food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We put together a list of three things Dr. Califf and the FDA have the authority to do right now to keep problematic chemicals out of our food:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Act on petitions to restrict harmful chemicals in food<\/b>. FDA faces a number of petitions from EDF and other groups calling on the agency to ban perchlorate, phthalates, and most PFAS; and restrict the use of BPA and lead in packaging and processing equipment that contact food. FDA should move quickly to resolve these petitions, some of which have been before the agency for years:<\/span>\n