Pet-food recall: Investigating the investigators
By Gina Spadafori
April 22, 2007
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If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
- If you want your say on food-safety reform, Sen. Durbin’s office wants to hear from you.
- If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page (includes links to recalled foods).
- If you’d like suggestions on what to feed, click here.
- If you want to report a sick or deceased pet, click here.
A couple of articles today suggests the heat is getting turned up on the FDA. Just posted on the Washington Post’s Web site:
The Food and Drug Administration has known for years about contamination problems at a Georgia peanut butter plant and on California spinach farms that led to disease outbreaks that killed three people, sickened hundreds, and forced one of the biggest product recalls in U.S. history, documents and interviews show.
Overwhelmed by huge growth in the number of food processors and imports, however, the agency took only limited steps to address the problems and relied on producers to police themselves, according to agency documents.
Congressional critics and consumer advocates said both episodes show that the agency is incapable of adequately protecting the safety of the food supply.
FDA officials conceded that the agency’s system needs to be overhauled to meet today’s demands, but contended that the agency could not have done anything to prevent either contamination episode.
Last week, the FDA notified California state health officials that hogs on a farm in the state had likely eaten feed laced with melamine, an industrial chemical blamed for the deaths of dozens of pets in recent weeks. Officials are trying to determine whether the chemical’s presence in the hogs represents a threat to humans.
Dozens? Try thousands. But in any case … Here’s an AP article from earlier today, more on problems within the FDA:
[...S]omething seemed amiss that spring of 2004.
A big drugmaker had crafted what seemed a star performer in Proheart 6, a 3-year-old injected drug to prevent heartworm, the common parasite in dogs. [Dr. Victoria] Hampshire’s numbers showed, though, that dogs were dying at alarming rates.
What happened next — and the price she paid for speaking up — have spurred a U.S. Senate inquiry and shined a spotlight on the complex topography of drug safety, where interests collide like tectonic plates and squeeze decisions from all sides.
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Special Agents sometimes unwittingly find themselves chasing the tail of their own government. It seems to happen a lot these days.
Comment by Steve — April 22, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
If they ever catch it, look out.
;-)
Comment by Steve — April 22, 2007 @ 9:19 pm
Steve, we are working on a plan to change those “offical” 16 deaths number.
Itchmo forum
http://64.79.216.38/~itchmo/forums/
Pile O Death is the title of the thread.
We could use your smarts on this.
Comment by E. Hamilton — April 22, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
Spocko,
Here’s an ending to your story last night:
After Baby wins Best in Show…
Taco-Bell-Dog elected sheriff. Food contaminators cower before him at eye-level having been bitten on the ankle in main street duel. TBD faces long recovery from the taste of the bites.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 22, 2007 @ 10:23 pm
As with everything else, it always comes down to money and priorities. Two things we know:
1 - There are budget cuts in the FDA [as evidenced by planned closures of nearly half its offices]
2 - Veterinary-related aspects, particularly as they related to harm coming to cats and dogs, is lowest on their totem poll.
The writing’s on the wall. We must have a stand-alone agency to safeguard our pets. Fat chance it would ever be funded from federal monies. That means we need to find a way to make itpay for itself. Why not levy a federal dog food tax? A couple cents on a serving of food bought at the supermarket, online, wherever. The supplier [supermarkets, pet retail outlets, pet online businesses would need to collect the taxes and remit on a monthly basis to a separate fund in the government. Is this workable? How can we know that the funds are being directed as they should?
If we want better service for our pets from the USG we’re going to have to find a way to pay for it ourselves. Ideas?
Comment by Lynn — April 22, 2007 @ 11:38 pm
And while I am at it: It befuddles me that no one has instituted a law that says that if a company is found to have contaminated supplies that it will pay, in full or pro-rata, all costs associated with USG [FDA, Legistlative Hearings…..] personnel and supplies. This would include every US company that touched the product - the broker, the pet food company, the distributor, the plant that made the food, the store that sold it. This ought to keep them on their toes in terms of finding out and knowing where their food comes from.
Comment by Lynn — April 22, 2007 @ 11:42 pm
Hey, check it out - it’s news in Tapei!
http://www.taipeitimes.com/New.....2003357912
Comment by Lynn — April 23, 2007 @ 12:08 am
More news
http://www.canada.com/topics/n.....mp;k=68585
Comment by Lynn — April 23, 2007 @ 12:10 am
And another one from NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponlin.....ref=slogin
Comment by Lynn — April 23, 2007 @ 12:15 am
Whoops - sorry - the link immediately above is for a story we’ve already read on petconnection.com
Comment by Lynn — April 23, 2007 @ 12:16 am
from the Tapei article:
“In Canada, Mars Inc’s Royal Canin Canadian unit said it’s recalling more pet food . . . “
would that be the same as the US Mars Inc?! hmmm . . .
Comment by straybaby — April 23, 2007 @ 12:36 am
interesting . .
http://edition.cnn.com/2001/BU.....index.html
http://www.euromonitor.com/Mar.....n_pet_food
so have we got all the major players yet? and am i the only one that missed this? :p
Comment by straybaby — April 23, 2007 @ 1:01 am
Comment by Lynn — April 22, 2007 @ 11:38 pm
This is a Federal Disaster Emergency. We should be reimbursed by the government and let them go after whomever for compensation.
And with that said, I’m off to dream about my dead dog for another night. Good night.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 23, 2007 @ 1:19 am
Awww Nadine, you poor thing! I hope that time helps bring the peace you so deserve.
Comment by Sandi K — April 23, 2007 @ 1:36 am
The FDA is waiting to increase its what? Surveillance of other products if necessary -
What makes you think it is not necessary now? Oh, I forgot only 16 pets have died that’s it, not thousands.
Tell me Mr. FDA and gang what are you going to be in charge of after you lose this job? Wonder if one of your buddy Pet Food Companies will hire you for quality control?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 23, 2007 @ 1:59 am
Lynn, if you phrase it as a “federal dog food tax”, it will never fly… both becaue you’re calling it a tax (who wants taxes), and because you implicitly suggest that it’s only on dog food and not cat food. I think that charging some kind of a fee directly to the manufacturers would have the same results (manufacturers are going to pass that fee along on a per-can basis, they won’t absorb it).
Comment by CatLady — April 23, 2007 @ 4:21 am
Bush put 100 lobbyists in top regulatory positions. They worked for industry before, will work for them when they leave government, and are working for them now. The FDA and Homeland Security are not doing their jobs under the Bioterrorism Act of 2001. They need to resign or be fired and the law needs to be enforced starting today. To protect companies who poison on the shelf in the new of proprietary information or confidentiality is unconscionable, morally reprehensible, and against the law. Where is the outrage? I hope the hearing on Tuesday isn’t another industry orchestrated puppet show.
Comment by Sharon — April 23, 2007 @ 4:21 am
FDA “experts” will decide what’s a drug or medical device.
http://www.newstarget.com/z021789.html
Comment by Steve — April 23, 2007 @ 5:41 am
People are selling recalled pet food and pet food coupons on Ebay. I have been searching every one that I can find and reporting it and also contacting the seller to end it NOW! PLEASE HELP!
I found this at the FDA website. I’m sure many of you already seen it but wanted to list it anyways. If it wasn’t so tragic it would almost be comical. This is full of nothing but LIES.
http://www.nutroproducts.com/mfproductlist.asp
Comment by Tammy — April 23, 2007 @ 5:51 am
Oops! That is the wrong link….sorry. Here’s the right one.
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2001/301_pet.html
Comment by Tammy — April 23, 2007 @ 5:52 am
Here’s a link about how poorly our foods are monitored. We all know this already. This is an AP report:
http://tinyurl.com/23qplv
…”You don’t have to be a Ph.D. to figure out that … if someone were to put some type of a toxic chemical into a product that’s trusted, that could do a lot of damage before it’s detected,” said Michael Doyle, a microbiologist who directs the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety….
…So U.S. food makers head overseas, where labor-intensive ingredients can be cheaper to produce in low-wage countries. They’re not expensive to ship, either, because they’re relatively compact and don’t spoil easily, said David Closs, an expert in global food supply at Michigan State University….
———
In my opinion — as it has for a LONG TIME — is the food makers & product makers & even customer service — outsource — by moving their factories overseas. This lowers the costs of production, then they turn around and jack-up the prices. This makes for a nice FAT PROFIT!
Plus, our farmers are getting out of the business. They are going broke. They cannot compete (with the low wages) with 2nd & 3rd world countries. We have a very high cost of living ratio compared to other countries.
Now, we are seeing the outcome of our poor screening of products coming into the U.S.
Comment by Kat — April 23, 2007 @ 6:09 am
RE: Comment by Tammy — April 23, 2007 @ 5:51 am
eBay has a button to report violators. When you find something like that — REPORT IT!
I don’t understand the link between truth about labeling & selling recalled products…
Comment by Kat — April 23, 2007 @ 6:14 am
Of course they can’t keep an eye on our food supply, there is no money left. They have bankrupted us (just ask employees of the park services). Our infrastructure is crumbling too.
Business isn’t in the business of watching out for the consumer. They aren’t in the business of making sure their products are safe. They are in the business of making money. As much of it as they can, as cheaply as they can.
Comment by Steve — April 23, 2007 @ 6:21 am
Sharon so true - sad but true.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 23, 2007 @ 6:34 am
CARVER PLUS SHOCK METHOD: A Way to Analyze the Level of Threat to Our Food Supply
NOW THAT WE ***KNOW*** the melamine contaminated food is IN THE HUMAN FOOD SUPPLY, thanks to the hogs on the hog farm in California eating laced feed, what is the CARVER PLUS SHOCK score on this disaster now?
Read what the CARVER PLUS SHOCK method is below:
http://www.productsurety.org/d.....Primer.pdf
Comment by petlover — April 23, 2007 @ 6:37 am
NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE. GLAD THE FDA IS SO PARTICULAR ABOUT ITS “EXPERT” WITNESSES:
New FDA rules aim to limit conflict of interest
Financial ties to drug companies may bar experts from advising agency
The conflict-of-interest guidelines would allow scientific experts who accept less than $50,000 in corporate grants, contracts and consulting fees — or hold less than that amount in company stock — to still serve on the FDA’s advisory committees. But that could happen only if the need for their services outweighed the potential conflict, and only if they were nonvoting members, according to the draft.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17722620/
Comment by mal — April 23, 2007 @ 6:43 am
Great find, petlover. Thanks!
Comment by Peggy — April 23, 2007 @ 6:45 am
RE: Comment by Tammy — April 23, 2007 @ 5:51 am
“People are selling recalled pet food and pet food coupons on Ebay. I have been searching every one that I can find and reporting it and also contacting the seller to end it NOW! PLEASE HELP!”
—————-
Tammie - I cannot find anything wrong with any of the 6 pages of eBay items searching “pet food”. The coupons you are referring to are expiration dates for the coupons. Purina One is not a recalled item anyway. Plus, even if it were they’ll be putting the product — untainted hopefully — back on the shelves.
Don’t scare us like that. Please send the links to the items you were questioning. As stated above… I could not find anything wrong with any items on 6 full pages, after a “pet food” search.
Comment by Kat — April 23, 2007 @ 6:46 am
Former Russia President, Boris Yeltsin has died of a heart attack:
http://tinyurl.com/2afost
Comment by Kat — April 23, 2007 @ 7:00 am
RE: Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 23, 2007 @ 1:59 am
——-
I LIKE IT! hahahaha!
Comment by Kat — April 23, 2007 @ 7:33 am
The question that pops up in my head over and over again is: What do we need the FDA for?
They can’t possibly do the job we are expecting them to do, and by simply being there they act as the one-go-to facility for the industry. No, I am not talking bribes, I’m talking about lulling them, lobby-ing them.
If a food manufacturer has no ‘governamentally issued clean bill of doing things right’ then he has to convince us, the consumer, that his stuff is ok.
Demand, supply.
Regulation via wallet.
I really don’t want an agency that decides what is good for me or not (if you are interested, read up on Stevia vs. Aspartame), or makes it impossible to legally buy raw milk in the majority of States…
Somehow, I’m so tired of this: they are being paid by me to do a job which they don’t; they don’t answer to my questions because they protect businesses, and then I hear the wail for more money, more this and that, more rules, more regulations that will only apply to me, not the ones that should be regulated.
Before I now slide down the Monday depression I rather go and feed my Imperial Highness, who proved that cats really have nine lives and is slowly, slowly starting to get better… :)
Comment by MaKo — April 23, 2007 @ 11:22 am
RE: comment by MaKo
“Somehow, I’m so tired of this: they are being paid by me to do a job which they don’t; they don’t answer to my questions because they protect businesses, and then I hear the wail for more money, more this and that, more rules, more regulations that will only apply to me, not the ones that should be regulated.”
MaKo - your comment is RIGHT ON TARGET - this is what we should be screaming at the top of our lungs about.
I have lost the love of my life - my dog and have 4 sick cats.
Everything in this country is a sham but the people. We are sold, brain washed that everything is just hunky dory, now get up and go on your tread mill for the week. Sit back at the barbie with a beer on the weekend, watch a game, then start it all over - the GOVERNMENT is taking care of EVERYTHING else…
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We live in a society that is a house of cards and it is folding. Unfortunately the people have NOT united against those who wish to do us harm. Our legislators are OWNED by Corporate interests. I know - I used to buy them, write the legislation, push it through committee and the “little people” are non the wiser.
Well it is TIME to RISE UP and take back our country. Our very lives and those we love depend on it.
Comment by Katnip — April 24, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Apparently we need to FDA to ensure that under 18 year old’s don’t get emergency contraception-of course, those are the girls who need it the most. They add ridiculous warning to medication labels to the point that everyone is terrified of everything FDA approved, so they go the the local GNC store, get advise some from preteen, and buy a bunch of untested herbs that haven’t gone through any kind of legitimate testing process. See, it all makes sense………..
Comment by Joyce — April 24, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
You just can’t trust the big drug companies these days, which is why you’re far better trying to find natural, safe solutions and avoid prescription drugs whenever you can.
Comment by Mark — April 25, 2007 @ 2:48 pm