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FDA Names Voting Members for Risk Communication Advisory Committee

November 13, 2007

The FDA has selected 15 voting members for its Risk Communication Advisory Committee, which will help the agency strengthen how it communicates product risks and other information to the public.

The committee, one of the recommendations in a 2006 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, will advise the agency on developing plans to communicate product information and reach appropriate audiences. It also will evaluate research regarding risk communication from the agency and other entities. The FDA announced the committee’s formation in June.

Although the IOM report recommends the committee focus on medical product safety information, the FDA has expanded the committee’s role to cover communication about all agency-regulated products, including food, Deputy Commissioner for Policy Randall Lutter said.

The FDA chose the 15 voting members from more than 240 nominations. The members include independent experts and public members, who will provide a user’s perspective on agency-regulated products. The members will serve terms ranging from one to four years.

A roster of the advisory committee members can be seen at www.fda.gov/oc/advisory/OCRCACRoster.htm.

Industry representatives with relevant experience may be invited to participate in some committee meetings, but they will not vote.

The committee’s first meeting will be in the first quarter of 2008.