i- Earlier this month, Senator Bernie Sanders, who chairs the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), sent a letter to FDA commissioner Robert Califf in which he urged FDA to develop robust front of pack (FOP) labeling requirements for food to help consumers understand which products may be harmful to health, particularly with respect to children’s diets.
- FDA has already conducted a literature review, two focus groups, and most recently, an experimental study on FOP labeling strategies. The research has focused on messages regarding sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat content. FDA’s unified agenda indicates that the agency intends to release a proposed rule regarding FOP labeling in June 2024 (but we wouldn’t be surprised if FDA misses that goal).
- However, Sanders criticized FDA’s efforts for not going “nearly far enough” and for designing a study which did not consider “some of the best international practices like the inclusion of an octagon symbol or health warnings” and which did not test for consumer purchasing preferences (the study focused on consumer understanding).
- Sanders indicated that the HELP committee will hold a hearing on the issue in the near future and requested that FDA answer a list of questions regarding the design of the FOP study.
Senator Sanders Calls for Robust Front of Pack Labeling Requirements
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
