Kucinich Asks Inspector General to Review FDA’s Bungling of “Death Treats”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2012 3:42 PM |
Five Year Investigation, Thousands of Sick and Dead Dogs, Tainted Jerky Still on the Shelves – FDA Refuses to Exercise Authority
WASHINGTON - August 24 - Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today
asked the Inspector General to review the Food and Drug Administration’s
handling of an investigation of tainted jerky treats for dogs made in
China. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating
consumer complaints for five years while the death toll rises. The FDA
has issued three low profile warnings, unbeknownst to the vast majority
of dog owners. Dangerous products are still on the shelves and sold in
markets across the country.
See a signed copy of the letter here.
In April of this year, after meeting with
Congressman Kucinich, the FDA sent investigators to the manufacturing
plants in China where the jerky is produced. The FDA was not allowed to
fully investigate the factories and was denied the ability to take samples.
In response, the FDA buried the inspection reports on their website
after a four month delay without explanation and with little context.
“The FDA has the legal authority to ban these imports, but they have abdicated their responsibility,” said Kucinich.
In another discreet update to the FDA website, the FDA uploaded a list of complaints of illnesses and deaths registered by pet owners and veterinarians. The document includes detailed stories that should be essential reading for any pet owner.
“The
Chinese manufactures won’t test the raw materials they use. They won’t
allow samples to be tested in the United States and they even deny
receiving consumer complaints. It’s absurd and it is unacceptable.
“What in the world is going on at the FDA
when over 2000 incidents of poisoning by an unknown substance and
stonewalling by Chinese manufacturers does not result in a product
recall or import ban? We know two things. There are sick or dead dogs
and the FDA is either sick or dead. Have we reached the point where the
FDA can’t be trusted to protect the public interest?” said Kucinich.
“The FDA has also defended its failure to act
by claiming it cannot act on complaints alone. If, after five years of
investigating, the FDA still has no more clues about the chemical or
biological culprit than the original consumer complaints, the competency
and/or integrity of the investigation is called into question. I do not
make this statement lightly,” wrote Kucinich in the letter to the Inspector General.
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