Food, Drug, and Medical Device Safety

With more than 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths from foodborne disease each year, food safety is critical for the health and well-being of American families. As a senior Democrat of the subcommittee responsible for funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rosa fights for policies that ensure the safety of our food. Rosa also co-chairs the Congressional Food Safety Caucus, which works to prevent foodborne illnesses.

Food Safety Modernization Act

Rosa is a leader in writing the Food Safety Modernization Act, which became law in 2011. The legislation contained several key provisions she championed, including mandating regular inspections of high-risk industrial food facilities, requiring food companies to take preventive measures, establishing a better system for tracing food, and demanding that imported food meet our safety standards.

As the Food Safety Modernization Act is implemented, Rosa is working to ensure that the new rules and regulations protect the health of American consumers. With the ever-increasing quantity of imported foods, Rosa is also fighting for the resources and authorities needed to make sure that these foods are safe for consumers and that our trade agreements make food safety a priority. 

Streamlining our Food Safety System

Responsibility for our nation’s food safety is stretched across 15 federal agencies responsible for enforcing at least 30 laws, making it impossible to efficiently respond to the safety issues of today’s global and complex food system. Rosa believes that we must streamline this process, which is why she has long sponsored legislation that would establish a single food safety agency with a comprehensive and coordinated mission to protect America’s families from foodborne illness.

Drug and Medical Device Safety

The safety and effectiveness of medications in the U.S. is a critical component of the nation’s healthcare system. Almost 40 percent of drugs taken in the U.S. are produced overseas and 80 percent of all drug ingredients come from foreign countries. Americans trust and rely on these products to take care of themselves and their families. Rosa works to ensure that the FDA can regulate, test, and assure the safety of the drugs that are used in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and homes across the country.

Medical device safety is another critical area in which Rosa works to protect American patients. Medical devices range from bandages and tongue depressors, to tanning beds, pacemakers, and artificial joint implants. Rosa is working to ensure the safety and efficacy of the approval processes for medical devices, as well as for improved safety standards, post-market surveillance, and appropriate classification and labeling of medical devices to protect patients and consumers.