WASHINGTON, April 23, 2012- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. today released the agency’s “Global Engagement Report” on the steps the agency takes to monitor imported food, drugs, medical devices, and other regulated products.
Approximately 50 percent of fresh fruits and 20 percent of fresh vegetables, as well as 80 percent of the seafood consumed in America come from abroad, according to the FDA. The report outlines the FDA’s process to ensure imported products “meet the same rigorous standards for safety and quality as those manufactured domestically.”
The Global Engagement Report also details engagement strategies the FDA is using in partnership with other agencies, organizations and coalitions to strengthen global, regulatory efforts, according to the agency’s release.
“As our world transforms and becomes increasingly globalized, we must come together in new, unprecedented, even unexpected, ways to build a public health safety net for consumers around the world,” Hamburg said.
FDA-regulated products originate from more than 150 countries, 130,000 importers, and 300,000 foreign facilities. Each year from 2005-2011, food imports have grown by an average of 10 percent, while imports of pharmaceutical products have increased at nearly 13 percent and device imports have grown more than 10 percent, reports the agency.
Videotaped remarks from Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization are available here: http://terrance.who.int/mediacentre/messages/MSG_FDA_CHANm_13APR2012.wmv 
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