FDA’s reputation with the general public has improved in the last year, according to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll that compares this year’s responses with those from a similar 2008 poll. Thus, positive ratings for managing prescription drug recalls or withdrawals increased from 39% to 53%. But most people still give the embattled agency poor marks on ensuring food safety (56%) and drug safety (52%) and on getting new drugs to market more quickly (54%).
The public says that food safety and drug safety and efficacy are FDA’s most important priorities. And on each topic public opinion is divided — 48% positive to 49% negative on food and 47% to 47% on drug safety and efficacy.
“Perceptions of drug safety have gone up and down,” says Harris Poll chairman Humphrey Taylor. “As stories break about drug problems, and Vioxx comes to mind, those numbers change. We seem to have recovered from the low figures of last year. Every time you get a food recall, you get a huge blip in public opinion. Those kinds of stories on food safety and drug safety really do have a big impact.”
FDA spokesperson Stephanie Kwisnek told HealthDay she could not comment on the poll results because FDA had not yet read them. But she said the agency is working with the Obama administration on “new legislative approaches and also is embarking on an aggressive and proactive approach” to improve U.S. food supply oversight. She said the new strategy includes “working closer with companies on recalls before any illnesses are associated with potentially harmful products,” using the Internet and other social media to better inform the public, establishing more of an FDA presence overseas, and hiring more scientists and inspectors.
Consumer advocates told HealthDay the poll results reflect legitimate concerns among members of the public about FDA’s capacity to do what needs to be done to protect the public health.
