FDA Names CFSAN Supplements Office Head

WASHINGTON--Lester M. Crawford, Ph.D., acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced Barbara O. Schneeman, Ph.D., is the new head of FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's (CFSAN) Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements. Schneeman succeeds Christine Taylor, Ph.D., who left the agency in November 2003 to accept a post with the World Health Organization.

"Barbara comes to us with an extensive background in nutrition science that lines up perfectly with her new position," Crawford said. "I look forward to her bringing to the center the leadership and standard of excellence for which she is very well known."

Schneeman is coming to FDA from the University of California, Davis, where she has served as a member of the faculty since 1976. She holds a doctorate in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley, and her research has focused on gastrointestinal (GI) function, dietary fiber, lipid metabolism and dietary guidelines.

Schneemans most recent foray in the natural products industry was as chairwoman of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Committee on the Framework for Evaluating the Safety of Dietary Supplements. The group worked to develop a framework FDA could use to evaluate the safety of dietary ingredients and that still worked within the parameters of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). "With the approach devised by the committee, it is possible for FDA to conduct effective safety evaluations within the current regulatory framework established by DSHEA," she said in the committee's report. "However we have recommended some changes that could mitigate [some] constraints and make the law more effective in meeting the goal of protecting public health." (For more on this story, visit www.naturalproductsinsider.com/hotnews/44h116054.html.)

Industry members were positive about Schneeman's experience and potential in the position. "Dr. Schneeman is a highly respected academic in the field of nutrition and also has extensive experience as an administrator," said Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). "We look forward to working with Dr. Schneeman and her highly qualified staff on scientific and policy issues that still need to be addressed as FDA moves toward full implementation of DSHEA."