FDA Forms Transparency Task Force

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formed a task force to develop recommendations for making useful and understandable information about FDA activities and decision-making more readily available to the public in a timely manner and in a user-friendly format.

The task force will be chaired by Principal Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, MD, and will include center directors, the associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, chief scientist, and the chief counsel.

"Our administration is committed to making government open and transparent," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "The Transparency Task Force will give the American people a seat at the table and make the FDA more open and accountable."

FDA issued a Federal Register notice announcing a June 24, 2009, public meeting to solicit recommendations on how the agency can make more available, useful and understandable information on its activities and decisions.