FDA unveils first phase of transparency initiative

The FDA has revealed phase one of its Transparency Initiative that will allow the public inside the decision making and approval process of the agency.

In an online presentation, Joshua Sharfstein, commissioner and chair of the FDA’s Transparency Task Force, unveiled a Web-based curriculum that includes a Q&A of the agency and its products, videos encompassing agency activities and conversations with agency personal detailing their work.

According to the FDA, the initiative was launched after the Obama Administration provided a commitment to provide openness to the public regarding government operations.

“The launch of FDA Basics is our first step towards making FDA a more transparent agency,” said Sharfstein.

The initiative contains three phases. With FDA Basics as phase one, phase two will make recommendations to the commissioner on ways to make the agency more transparent to the public, while during the final stage the task force will make recommendations to the commissioner regarding the FDA’s transparency to regulated industries.

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