Extra $275 Million for FDA Delayed By Lawmakers’ Fight Over War Funding

Delay once more for the FDA...hope some of the funds go towards some new technology as well....at least making sure everyone working there has a computer...BD

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment last week granting the FDA an immediate $275 million infusion, a sum FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach recently told a senior Republican lawmaker was necessary.
The amendment stipulates that $35.5 million be used for CDRH operations and related field activities of the Office of Regulatory Affairs and $21.8 million be used for the FDA Office of the Commissioner, Office of Operations, Office of Scientific and Medical Programs, Office of International and Special Programs and Office of Policy, Planning and Preparedness. The remainder is to be used for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and other activities.
The amendment makes the $275 million available through the end of fiscal 2009 and stipulates that $100 million must be used for drug, device and biologic safety activities, $40 million for modernizing the agency’s science and workforce, $10 million for capital spending on laboratory facilities outside the Washington, D.C., area and $125 million for food protection.