ARLINGTON, Va. — The Consumer Brands Association commended the congressional passage of provisions in the 2023 funding package to support key structural and governance changes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“A well-structured and efficiently governed FDA is vital to ensuring our industry can actively pursue innovations that move products at the speed of consumer demand,” said Roberta Wagner, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs.

“Consumer Brands, along with a wide array of industry, consumer, and state regulatory groups, has made it clear that a fully empowered, accountable, and expert deputy commissioner is needed to  lead and unify the FDA’s foods program, and we’re grateful for congressional support to make this a reality. We’re confident that this structural shift, combined with modernization of outdated policies and procedures in key areas, will allow FDA to more effectively deliver on its mission and restore public confidence in the agency by seeing that consumers have access to a variety of safe foods.”

The FDA provisions passed today offer congressional backing for several recommendations in the Reagan-Udall Foundation report proposing changes to the FDA’s food program, which Consumer Brands supported and further advocated for in a recent coalition letter to the FDA commissioner. The report aligned with many Consumer Brands policy recommendations to address concerning performance patterns, including agency indecision.

Consumer Brands has long advocated for overarching structural and governance changes to FDA’s food program which are reflected in the provisions passed today.

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The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day, representing nearly 2,000 iconic brands. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs.