NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted its delay in response to the country's baby formula shortage in a recent report, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The 10-page FDA report, released on Tuesday, reviewed several key problems at the watchdog, including outdated data-sharing systems, inadequate staffing and training among its food inspectors, and poor visibility into formula supply chains and manufacturing procedures, the AP said.
The FDA's evaluation has been questioned by Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group as "doesn't go far enough to fix the problems."
"This internal evaluation treats the symptoms of the disease rather than offering a cure," the consumer advocate was quoted by the AP as reporting, adding that "nothing in this evaluation addresses the fragmented leadership structure that led to critical communication failures."
The FDA report comes nearly eight months after it closed Abbott's Michigan plant due to safety concerns, the AP reported, adding that officials didn't investigate complaints started in September last year until February after four infants became sick, resulting in two deaths.
The shortage has forced the United States to airlift millions of pounds of powdered formula from overseas. ■