In a move that’s just absolutely mind numbing, the FDA has decided to suspend foreign inspections of food and drugs over the Coronavirus outbreak. Yes, you read that correctly.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will suspend most foreign inspections for food, drug and medical devices outside the country through April as the coronavirus outbreak spreads across America, the agency announced Tuesday.
“We are aware of how this action may impact other FDA responsibilities, including product application reviews,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement. “We will be vigilant and monitor the situation very closely and will try to mitigate potential impacts from this outbreak in lockstep with the whole of the federal government.”
Hahn said the decision was based on a number of factors, including the State Department’s multiple advisories that prohibit U.S. government employees from traveling, as well as travel restrictions imposed on foreign visitors by other countries.
However, inspections outside the U.S. deemed “mission-critical” will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the FDA said.
You can read more of this ignorance from our friends at NBC News.
