CFSAN Releases FY05 Priorities

CFSAN Releases FY05 Priorities

WASHINGTONThe Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) released its program priorities for the Center for FoodSafety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) for its 2005 fiscal year, which startedOct. 1, and and runs though Sept. 30, 2005. Food safety and implementation ofthe bioterrorism regulations topped the list, with some concentration onnutrition issues such as carbohydrate claims, increasing consumer awareness oftrans fats and releasing the final dietary supplement GMPs (good manufacturingpractices).

This years plan reflects the same commitment as lastyear to revitalize and bolster our nutrition program, said Robert Brackett,Ph.D., CFSANs director. Helping consumers improve their nutrition is anincreasingly urgent part of the FDA mission.

As in past years, FDAs work plan was divided into sections,including food safety, nutrition/dietary supplements, food additives/cosmeticsand crosscutting areas, with priorities given an A or B level status; the agencyhopes to accomplish 90 percent of its 122 A-list priorities by September 2005.

In the introduction to the document, Brackett noted while theplan does not address activities such as ongoing regulatory, enforcement andresearch issues, these remain on the agencys radar at all times. In addition,FDA plans to release a mid-year progress report, a change from the FY04 plan,which was announced in May 2004.

There were only four priorities in the specific dietarysupplement section of the report, including releasing the final GMP rule,holding a meeting on new dietary ingredients (NDIs) and developing a strategy toimplement DSHEA.In a press conference, Brackett said releasing the GMPs remainsa high priority, but acknowledged it may not happen before the end of 2004,given likely personnel absences during the holiday season. As far as NDIs,Brackett said the public meeting held Nov. 15, 2004, did provide input fromindustry, which should help in moving forward. We want to try to more clearlyexplain what new dietary ingredient means so industry knows the rules ofthe road, he said. At some point, we will have guidance and possiblyrulemaking about what we mean by the term and where the line will be drawn.Weare receiving input from the industry about what is realistic and want to keepthe process as transparent as possible.

The complete plan is available on the CFSAN Web site(www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cfsand04.html).