Food Distribution Program

FDA Bioterrorism Act Website is On Line

FDA has added a New page to its existing bioterrorism website to provide information on the agency’s efforts, related to the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Bioterrorism Act).

Signed into law by President Bush on June 12, 2002, this semiannual legislation authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take specific measures to protect the nation’s food and drug supplies against bioterrorist threats. FDA, as the primary regulatory arm of HHS for these products, is responsible for implementing those measures.

The New page on the Bioterrorism Act provides easy access to the Act, the provisions of the law related to FDA, and the Agency’s activities to implement these provisions.

Among the website’s features are:

* An overview of the Bioterrorism Act, including those aspects that most involve FDA such as protecting the nation’s food, drug and biologic supplies.

* FDA’s plans for implementing the Act, including four proposed rules for protecting the food supply. These rules include Registration of Food Facilities; Establishment and Maintenance of Records for Food Facilities; Prior Notice of Imported Food Shipments; and Administrative Detention Authority.

* Summaries of the provisions related to FDA as well as links to guidance documents, Federal Register notices, and dockets associated with the respective provisions.

* Links for directly submitting electronic comments to the dockets established for registration of food facilities; establishments and maintenance of records for food facilities; prior notice of imported food shipments; and administrative detention authority.

* Links to other sources of information related to the Bioterrorism Act at websites for the White House, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and individual FDA centers.

Access to FDA updates on its activities related to the Bioterrorism Act through a free subscription to a directed E-mail list. The New FDA Bioterrorism Act site is at, http://www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html.

FDA’s main bioterrorism site is http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bioterrorism.html.

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