FDA Recall Program Performing Poorly?

The US Office of Office of Inspector General for HHS is conducting an audit of FDA's recall program.  In their preliminary report, they found that FDA was not acting fast enough.  In this report this statement was made:

"We found that FDA did not have an efficient and effective food recall initiation process that helps ensure the safety of the Nation’s food supply. Specifically, FDA did not have policies and procedures to ensure that firms or responsible parties (collectively referred to in this document as "firms") initiated voluntary food recalls promptly. This issue is a significant matter and requires FDA’s immediate attention."

In response, FDA issued a statement, and in that, wrote:

"FDA oversaw thousands of food recalls, with an average time for recall initiation of less than a week. A small number of these recalls fell well outside of that average, with months passing before all impacted products were taken off shelves, even though the FDA notified the companies involved of a contamination as soon as it had evidence."

FDA News Release
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm505926.htm
Statement on HHS OIG Early Alert on FDA food recall initiation process
For Immediate Release
June 9, 2016Statement

Public health is our top priority and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration works hard to ensure the U.S. food supply remains among the safest in the world.

During a nearly three-year period recently reviewed by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), the FDA oversaw thousands of food recalls, with an average time for recall initiation of less than a week. A small number of these recalls fell well outside of that average, with months passing before all impacted products were taken off shelves, even though the FDA notified the companies involved of a contamination as soon as it had evidence.

These delays are unacceptable. While some food recalls are more complicated than others due to the nature of the product(s), contamination, and investigation, the recall process should be as swift as possible and the FDA is already taking concrete steps to address the OIG’s concerns. These steps include the establishment of a rapid-response team made up of agency leaders, and the introduction of new technologies to make the process even swifter.

The FDA will continue to work with the OIG and other stakeholders to make our food safety programs even stronger.