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Still No Response from FDA

Maybe their phone lines are down…maybe they are all on vacation…or just maybe they are refusing to speak to pet food consumer advocates. The only thing we know for certain is that it has been more than 60 days that the FDA has continued to ignore requests to establish open dialogues with pet food consumer advocates.

Maybe their phone lines are down…maybe they are all on vacation…or just maybe they are refusing to speak to pet food consumer advocates.  The only thing we know for certain is that it has been more than 60 days that the FDA has continued to ignore requests to establish open dialogues with pet food consumer advocates.

Before this account of FDA ignoring the voices of pet food consumers begins, let us review just a few simple facts as to why it is vitally important regulatory authorities provide the other pet food stakeholder (consumers) with a voice…

Did You Know?

  • FDA Compliance Policies allow pet foods to violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
  • In the U.S. pet foods can make false or misleading claims in advertising and there is no regulatory authority to protect consumers.
  • Pet food labels have completely different nutritional information as is stated on human food labels.  Such as: in human foods, the nutritional content (such as protein and fat) is stated as ‘actual’; in pet foods, protein and fat is stated as ‘minimum’ (example: fat can be stated as 5% on the pet food label however the actual fat content of the food could be 20% or more).
  • In human foods the ingredient ‘chicken’ implies meat; in pet foods ‘chicken’ can be only chicken skin and bones – no meat.

The efforts of establishing a consumer voice with FDA began unofficially in January 2011 at the AAFCO meeting (only my efforts began then – several others before me have tried as well).  One of the FDA representatives looked me square in the eyes and told me ‘The FDA cares about the consumer voice, we meet several times a year with Don Earl of Pet Food Products Safety Alliance’.  I immediately stepped out of the room and emailed Don Earl to confirm this information.  And guess what?  He told me in no uncertain terms ‘the FDA has never met with me or has ever offered to’.  Numerous follow up communications to this particular FDA veterinarian have been ignored.

Officially, our efforts to establish a communication between FDA and pet food consumer advocates began in February 2013.  A letter was sent to Michael Taylor, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine with copy to Sharon Natanblut Communication and Public Engagement Staff FDA/CVM on February 25, 2013.  The letter introduced the numerous consumer advocate volunteers that were willing to donate their time working with FDA on pet food/treat safety issues (Dr. Jean Hofve DVM, Dr. Cathy Alinovi DVM, Dr. Laurie Coger DVM, Dr. Patrick Mahaney VMD, Laura Lassiter, Mollie Morrissette, Tracy Dion, and myself).

As follow up to our February 25 official request, Mollie Morrissette and myself phoned FDA in mid-March and spoke with Sharon Natanblut.  After a 30 minute or so conversation, Ms. Natanblut asked us to “give her 10 days to work things out” on FDA’s side.  Ms. Natanblut asked for a reminder email be sent to her in 10 days.  End of March that “reminder email” was sent as requested by FDA.  That reminder email was ignored.

Not giving up, another email outlining all the details was sent to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg and CVM Director Bernadette Dunham in mid-April 2013.

And guess what?  Still nothing.  Not one email or one phone call has been received by FDA.  They have completely ignored pet food consumer advocates.

Again not giving up, I have reached out for assistance from my Representatives in Congress.  Letters were sent yesterday (5/6/13) to Senator Bill Nelson (D) and Senator Marco Rubio (R) asking for each to intervene on the behalf of pet food consumers to demand FDA establish regular dialogues with pet food consumer advocates.

After the last update provided to all on this (ridiculous) FDA refusal to regularly communicate with pet food consumer representatives, several of you asked what you could do to help.  To anyone that wishes to try to help, below is a sample email that can be sent to your Representatives in Congress…

I ask for your assistance to help pet food consumer advocates establish open communication with FDA relating to the safety of pet foods and treats.  Regular open dialogues/meetings have been provided to human food safety advocates for years, however no voice is provided to pet food consumer advocates with regulatory authorities.  

Just a few examples of the desperate need for a pet food consumer voice with regulatory authorities…

Did You Know?

  • FDA Compliance Policies allow pet foods to violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
  • In the U.S. pet foods can make false or misleading claims in advertising and there is no regulatory authority to protect consumers.
  • Pet food labels have completely different nutritional information as is stated on human food labels.  Such as: in human foods, the nutritional content (such as protein and fat) is stated as ‘actual’; in pet foods, protein and fat is stated as ‘minimum’ (example: fat can be stated as 5% on the pet food label however the actual fat content of the food could be 20% or more).
  • In human foods the ingredient ‘chicken’ implies meat; in pet foods ‘chicken’ can be only chicken skin and bones – no meat.

A letter introducing volunteer consumer advocacy representatives and requesting regular meetings with FDA was sent on February 25, 2013 to Michael Taylor, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine with copy to Sharon Natanblut, Communication and Public Engagement Staff FDA/CVM.

Despite numerous follow up attempts by the consumer representatives, the FDA has ignored all requests for more than 60 days.

It is clear the FDA is not interested in providing pet food consumers a voice.  However just because the FDA has no interest in open dialogue with pet food consumer advocates doesn’t mean it isn’t vitally important and necessary.  Remember, existing pet food regulations allow pet foods to violate federal food safety law, allows misleading and false pet food advertising, and forces pet food consumers to learn completely different ingredient definitions and labeling guidelines than human foods.  

Please contact FDA’s Dr. Margaret Hamburg and CVM’s Bernadette Dunham requesting pet food consumer advocates be provided with regular dialogues with FDA (please ask FDA to contact Susan Thixton of the consumer stakeholder group Association for Truth in Pet Food – Susan@AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com).  Without your assistance, I am confident FDA will continue to ignore the pet food consumer voice.

One last note…as you are probably aware, the FDA has investigated thousands of pet deaths related to Chinese imported chicken jerky treats over the past six years.  In January 2013, NY Department of Agriculture testing discovered illegal antibiotic drug residues in the imported dog treats; however FDA has not confirmed or denied the thousands of pet deaths is/was related to the illegal drugs found in the treats.  In January 2013, Association for Truth in Pet Food provided FDA with scientific evidence linking the illegal drugs found in the treats to the thousands of pet illnesses and thousands of pet deaths; several veterinarians have also since confirmed the illegal drug connection.  However to date, the FDA has not responded to the scientific evidence they were provided.  

Again…without regular open dialogues provided to pet food safety advocates, pet food consumers and the pets they love are at risk from inferior pet food products.  As one of my Representatives in Washington, I ask you to contact FDA for me.  Please tell them to begin meeting with pet food consumer advocates.

I thank everyone for your continued support; pet food consumers deserve a voice and we won’t give up.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients?  Chinese imports?  Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 2500 cat foods, dog foods,  and pet treats.  30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com

 

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3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Kent Petersime

    May 7, 2013 at 7:05 pm

    The FDA seems to work for itself so I’m not surprised that they ignore your or anyone else’s request for information or assistance. Most of the Government agency’s along with elected officials pretty much do what they want once they cross the border into Washington D.C. What a shame!

  2. joan

    May 10, 2013 at 11:19 am

    Not to even give you a response is unprofessional and rude! Please don’t give up. We need you to fight for our pets. You opened my eyes and I am grateful.

  3. Tammy Baugh

    May 19, 2013 at 12:47 am

    Although I am glad you are attempting to open lines of communication with the FDA, on Petsumer’s behalf, I am not a bit surprised they are ignoring you. The fact that they are, further justifies my lack of trust for all Government Agencies. You cannot trust what you don’t know. And you know what else? They will probably continue to ignore your requests. Because they’d like to keep us all in the dark. The smarter we are about our Pet Foods, the smarter we will eventually become about our own human foods. Most of us know virtually nothing about what all they are doing to our human foods as well. And though it is being sold as “fit for human consumption”, I am sure a lot of it just really isn’t. It’s just that FDA standards are way below mine.

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