Millions upon millions of shipments of foreign goods arrive in the United States through busy ports every year. But do we have enough personnel available to make sure that what’s being imported into our country is actually safe for our citizens?
The Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration thinks that we could do a little better. Following a tour of the Port of Savannah, this top official has stated that she believes more inspectors are needed to properly police the goods coming into the country.
Currently the busy port, which took in almost 3 million containers filled with cargo last year, only has four inspectors. These persons are responsible for sifting through drugs, cosmetics, fruits, vegetables, and seafood to make sure that these goods are fit for consumption. The Commissioner would like to see the number of inspectors double.
That’s not to say that the FDA is in this alone. In fact, the lion’s share of cargo inspections across the country are conducted by United States Customs and Border Protection.
A member of the House of Representatives joined the Commissioner for the tour.
As a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, I applaud efforts to increase the FDA’s ability to make sure our products are safe. Maybe just a few extra hands on deck can prevent widespread safety defects. Such is my hope as a Bakersfield personal injury attorney.