HHS Strategic Goals and Objectives - FY 2001 . Objective 5.2 - Improve the Safety of Food, Drugs, Medical Devices, and Biological Products

How We Will Accomplish Our Objective

We will access state-of-the-art science necessary for timely and credible regulatory decisions by:

• recruiting top scientists.

• engaging in continuous training of the professional work force.

• maintaining up-to-date laboratories and equipment.

• participating in exchange programs with academia, public, and private sector organizations.

• engaging in collaborative, targeted research with the greater scientific community to address critical public health and safety issues.

We will improve food safety by:

• expanding and providing technical assistance to the foodborne diseases surveillance network (FoodNet) to increase its capacity to identify sources of foodborne pathogens.

• developing new methods for fingerprinting bacterial, viral, and parasitic foodborne pathogens.

• evaluating risk factors that contribute to foodborne illness and implementing control measures to minimize the impact of these factors.

• providing training and education for consumers and state and local public health professionals on preventing and detecting foodborne illness.

• promoting adoption of the 1999 model food code through educational campaigns and training programs.

• increasing international collaboration with and technical assistance to other countries to improve surveillance systems and expand the global sharing of surveillance information.

• developing, disseminating, and conducting training on Good Agricultural and Manufacturing Practices for domestic fresh produce growers, packers, and shippers.

We will improve drug safety by:

• processing and responding quickly to reports of adverse drug events through the Adverse Events Reporting System.

• inspecting drug manufacturing and repackaging establishments to ensure conformance with good manufacturing practices.

• making more easily understandable information about choosing and taking prescription and over-the-counter drugs available to consumers and health professionals to prevent misuse.

• developing safer vaccines.

We will improve the safety of medical devices by:

• inspecting mammography facilities annually and taking enforcement action against those that do not meet acceptable standards for safety and quality.

• inspecting medical device manufacturing establishments and reinspecting those showing serious deficiencies to ensure that they have complied with established standards.

• expanding the national network of hospitals and clinics that recognize and report adverse events relating to medical devices.

We will improve the safety of biological products by:

• processing and responding quickly to reports of adverse biological events through the Adverse Events Reporting System.

• inspecting (and reinspecting) biological manufacturing, repackaging, and blood bank establishments for conformance with safety and purity standards.