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The
FDA this Week: Andy's Take

FDA and Global Cooperation

Commissioner's
Biography

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FDA
This Week: Andy's Take

About Andy’s Take

Through this communications column on the FDA Web site,
Commissioner for Food and Drugs Andrew von Eschenbach will discuss
weekly FDA issues of interest to the American consumer and
occasionally preview upcoming FDA issues and events.

Archive
of Andy's Take

May 16, 2008

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Audio
Version (MP3 - 1.04 MB, Run Time - 00:2:17)

A great portion of the products you use today are imported. In
fact the United States imports annually almost $50 billion worth of
food and medical products regulated by the FDA. These products make
a major contribution to the health of all Americans and it is our
job at the FDA to help ensure their safety and
effectiveness.

My take on this fast-growing global trade is
that while it is potentially one of the most positive developments
of our lifetime, it places an even higher importance on cooperation
with our global partners.

Continuing to build even stronger
cooperation with our counterpart agencies overseas was the main
objective of my travels this week to the two regions where a vast
majority of these regulated imports originate, the European Union
and China.

My first stop was in Brussels, where I
participated in a European Union-U.S. meeting of cabinet level
officials dedicated to upgrading American-European cooperation on
many issues, including the protection of the public health in Europe
and the United States. The subjects we discussed included import
safety, information sharing, and bridging differences in technical
standards. We also discussed sharing information about inspections
in other countries and leveraging each others' resources.

Now
I am in China with Health and Human Services Secretary Michael
Leavitt to review the implementation of our agreements signed to
improve the safety of Chinese exports to the United States. I also
am here to discuss the posting of FDA staff, including inspectors,
in three Chinese regions to help expand our oversight of FDA
regulated products that are being exported to the United
States.

These visits, a part of FDA’s Beyond our Borders
initiative, are key pieces of intensive efforts to better ensure the
safety and effectiveness of the food and medical products that you
and your family use that come from other parts of the
world.

I look forward to bringing you Andy’s Take next week
when I’m back to the United States.

Andy

Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D.
Commissioner of
Food and Drugs

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