FDA Suspends Key Food Testing Program Amid Severe Staff Cuts

The FDA has suspended its Food Emergency Response Network's proficiency testing program due to significant staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services. This affects the quality control of food testing laboratories and disrupts key public health research efforts.

The Food and Drug Administration has been forced to suspend its quality control program for food testing laboratories following staff reductions at the Department of Health and Human Services. This suspension, confirmed by an internal email obtained by Reuters, highlights the potential risks to public health due to disrupted testing processes.

The FDA's Food Emergency Response Network's proficiency testing program, crucial for ensuring the consistency and accuracy of testing across approximately 170 labs, is impacted by the departure of up to 20,000 HHS employees. The cuts have significantly affected public health research, including efforts on bird flu and drug reviews, as President Donald Trump pushes to cut $40 billion from the HHS budget.

The suspensions will last until at least September 30 and hinder planned quality control work, such as testing for Cyclospora in spinach and glyphosate in barley. The absence of proficiency testing jeopardizes the lab network's readiness to address food safety events, with no immediate alternatives available to fill the gap, according to a source familiar with the situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)