Congress Seeks GAO Review of Foreign Drug Inspection Program

Ongoing recalls of contaminated blood pressure drugs prompted the House Energy and Commerce Committee to call for a review of the FDA’s foreign drug inspection program.

In a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the committee called on the oversight body to follow up on its most recent evaluation in December 2016.

The E&C wants the office to examine the foreign inspections conducted since the last report, how the FDA implements its risk-based selection strategy, whether the agency has adequate resources to meet inspection goals, and the trends in inspection staff resources.

The lawmakers note that the agency conducted fewer foreign drug plant inspections in 2017 and 2018 than in previous years.