The NY Times editorial board takes Andrew von Eschenbach to task, and asks him to fulfill his duty as head of the FDA and keep the people safe from salmonella SaintPaul and other potential hazards.
The government officials who are supposed to protect America’s food supply are not certain what has made almost 1,000 people ill in the last three months. At first it was raw tomatoes that appeared to be tainted with a rare form of salmonella. So, consumers avoided tomatoes, and the tomato business suffered mightily. Health officials are still worried about tomatoes, but they’ve also raised concerns about jalapeño peppers. Or perhaps cilantro. Or maybe some brands of salsa. Somewhere. Meanwhile, people keep getting sick.
[...]Both houses of Congress are still working on food-safety bills, and the Food and Drug Administration — understaffed and ill equipped — unveiled a food-safety plan in November but has yet to implement it. There can be no more delay. The F.D.A. commissioner, Andrew von Eschenbach, should use his emergency powers now to impose new rules to improve food safety.
But, I am here to tell you that Andrew von Eschenbach does not give a rats ass about your health and well being. It was von Eschenbach that CLOSED, that’s right folks, closed, 7 of the 13 remaining labs that specifically tested foods. And worse yet, von Eschenbach’s twisted logic when he testified before a House subcommittee last year (during/after the wheat gluten debacle) was that closing these labs would make the FDA more efficient.
While I agree with the NY Times editorial, the simple fact is that during his tenure, von Eschenbach has NEVER been concerned with the people he is charged with safeguarding. So, what makes them think he can be persuaded to be concerned now?
