FDA leader called to testify about food safety before congressional committee

The FDA commissioner is scheduled to testify at a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability next week.

Commissioner Robert Califf is the only witness scheduled for the hearing, which is set for 1 p.m. EDT on April 11. The hearing will be open to the public and will be live streamed online at https://oversight.house.gov/.

The agenda includes discussion of the infant formula crisis that followed a recall by Abbott Laboratories in 2022 that was related to a deadly outbreak of cronobacter infections. General food safety concerns are also listed as part of the hearing’s focus.

“The Oversight Committee has highlighted several crises occurring on the FDA’s watch which have negatively impacted the lives and health of American people and families,” said committee chairman James Comer, R-KY.

“From a botched response to a nationwide infant formula crisis, failure to regulate safe tobacco products, failure to prepare for and address critical drug shortages, and more, we have identified how dysfunction at the FDA could be worsening many of these preventable crises. 

“We will hold the Commissioner accountable for what the FDA is doing to address ongoing crises, how they are conducting inspections to prevent nationwide crises in the future, and how they intend to ensure the FDA is first and foremost protecting American consumers. Subcommittee Chairwoman McClain has been at the forefront of the Oversight Committee’s efforts to bring transparency to the FDA and we look forward to continuing that work at this hearing.”

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