Foreign drug inspections decline as FDA hiring struggles continue
The US reliance on imported pharmaceuticals and ingredients is rising as foreign drug facility inspections decreased by about 10% from 2016 to 2018. Part of the reason for the decline: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it’s still struggling to hire new inspectors.
Testifying before a House subcommittee on Tuesday, Janet Woodcock, director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, defended the agency’s approach and discussed some of the vulnerabilities of its foreign inspection program. She said FDA is looking to hire 50 new inspectors, but there are difficulties.
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