The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that James Jones, a former environmental official and expert at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will be taking over as the agency's top food regulator. This appointment comes after the FDA faced criticism and controversy over its handling of a nationwide shortage of infant formula.
Jones, who brings with him three decades of experience from the EPA, will hold the position of Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. He has previously served on a panel that reviewed the FDA's food program and is currently the president of his own environmental consulting firm, J. Jones Environmental.
One of the major challenges facing Jones in his new role will be unifying the FDA's various food divisions. The structure and leadership of these divisions came under scrutiny in a review of the FDA's food program last year. The report highlighted issues of duplicative or competing roles, inadequate engagement, and a lack of cohesion among the divisions.
The controversy surrounding the FDA's response to safety concerns at an Abbott Laboratories formula manufacturing site, which led to the infant formula shortage, as well as delays in imposing limits on heavy metals in baby food, has put pressure on the agency to address these issues.
With the appointment of Jones, the FDA aims to provide a central authority figure who will have full control and oversight of all food-related resources. The agency has already proposed changes to its Office of Regulatory Affairs in response to the review, which is responsible for investigations, inspections, and imports of FDA-regulated products.
During his time at the EPA, Jones played a pivotal role in reducing the impact of chemicals and pollution on the US food supply. He was also involved in the overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act in 2016, which aimed to enhance the agency's ability to regulate harmful compounds.
Environmental advocacy groups have expressed their support for Jones' appointment, stating that his experience and understanding of the challenges faced by government programs in ensuring food safety make him the right leader for the FDA at this crucial time. Overall, this move is seen as a step towards addressing the issues within the FDA's food program and restoring public trust in the agency's ability to protect consumer safety.