Holy Name Press Releases

RELEASE: Gottheimer Calls for End to FDA Shutdown to Safeguard Food, Reinstate Inspections for North Jersey Families

Doctors, Parents Concerned Over End to Food Inspections.Counties and States May Help Inspect Food to Help Protect Families. Gottheimer Speaks with FDA Commissioner Gottlieb

January 14, 2019

Today, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), concerned doctors, and parents discussed their concern over the shutdown’s impact on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their inspections, many of which have been canceled. On Wednesday, NBC News reported that many food safety inspections at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been halted due to the shutdown.

The FDA is in charge of inspecting roughly eighty percent of our food supply. Yet, forty-one percent of the FDA’s 17,000 employees are currently furloughed when they could and should be on the job, inspecting the lettuce, the cereal, the ice cream Americans bring into their homes every day. According to the FDA, the agency has massively cut back on food safety inspections, on everything from eggs to dairy to vegetables, a health and safety risk for every American and every New Jersey family.

In discussing the shutdown recently, the FDA Commissioner candidly admitted, “There are important things we are not doing.”

Gottheimer spoke to the FDA Commissioner this morning about involving state and local governments more directly in inspections to help plug the gap during the government shutdown.

“I’m here at Holy Name Medical Center to discuss another significant, and alarming, impact this shutdown is having on our public health and safety – and that’s the security of our food and the end of many FDA inspections – and steps we can take to help fill the void,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Just recently we had an e. Coli outbreak in lettuce and now we have no one to inspect lettuce. Earlier this year, more than 100 people got salmonella from their cereal. Who at the FDA is making sure this doesn’t happen again? Without a cop on the beat, the safety of our families at the dinner table is at risk.”

Gottheimer continued, “In the meantime, while we wait for the FDA to fully reopen, I have been in communication with County Executive Jim Tedesco about the possibility of the County Health Department filling the void and conducting food safety inspections here in Bergen County.  I’ve also reached out to the New Jersey State Department of Health and Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties to see if and where they can help fill the food safety gap the FDA is currently leaving exposed.  These are one of those moments where we all must pitch in, for the safety of our families. I spoke to Commissioner Gottlieb this morning, and he agreed that it would be very helpful for the states like ours to play a more active role in inspections.”

Gottheimer voted several times over the past week to reopen the government and fund essential agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration.

"One in six Americans come down with foodborne illness every year. This leads to 3,000 deaths every year," said Dr. Suraj Saggar, DO, Chief of Infectious Disease at Holy Name. "Whether it's listeria with ice cream, salmonella is cereal, and of course e. Coli and romaine lettuce. We understand this plays havoc with our health.”

“The fact that the FDA is compromising the inspection of our food is a huge concern for everyone, but especially those that are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Their immune systems are already compromised,” said Closter mother of two Melissa Berry, founder of Cancer Fashionista. “This is just unacceptable in my eyes. I feel like the FDA is our frontline of defense and something needs to be done to rectify the situation.”

Video of the event can be found below:
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Above: Gottheimer discusses the damage of the shutdown on public health. (left to right) State Senator Loretta Weinberg, Holy Name Chief of Infectious Disease Dr. Suraj Saggar, Congressman Josh Gottheimer, and Teaneck Council Member Jim Dunleavy.