FDA Releases Global Engagement Report

On April 23, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a report on the FDA's plans for increased global engagement. The report focuses on the challenges which a U.S. domestic regulatory agency faces in protecting U.S. consumers who are increasingly using products from non-U.S. manufacturers and facilities. 

The report begins by noting the enormous volume of imports of FDA-regulated products. In 2009, for example, "$2 trillion worth of FDA-regulated products manufactured in more than 300,000 foreign facilities entered the United States from more than 150 countries." Between 2002 and 2011, imports of FDA-regulated products have grown substantially. This increase in imports results in, as the report states, "increased potential risks to the U.S. public."