Why doesn't USA FDA mirror European standards on food, cosmetics, medicines, etc.?

[Anonymous]

You guys clearly have no idea what is legal and what is illegal in Europe.

Hint: their packaged foods aren’t that different from ours. There are only about 5-6 ingredients that are entirely eliminated that are still used in the U.S. We may be down to even less than that with recent regulatory actions from FDA. Of those remaining substances, many haven’t been used commonly in the U.S. for years.

[Anonymous]

Corporate lobbying.

[Anonymous]

Additives US allows;

Artificial food colorings: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6
Potassium bromate: A common additive in baked goods that may cause cancer
Azodicarbonamide (ADA): A common additive in baked goods that may cause cancer
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO): A chemical used in soda and sports drinks that contains bromine, which has corrosive, toxic vapors
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): A flavor enhancer and preservative that is "reasonably anticipated" to be a human carcinogen
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT): A flavor enhancer and preservative that is subject to severe restrictions in Europe
Titanium dioxide (TiO2): Also known as E171
Propylparaben (E217): An additive that is banned in Europe

The FDA Himsn food program just made an office to deal with it but it will be hamstringed for the next 4+ years

[Anonymous]

Ugh Human food program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their authorizing laws deliberately were written in a toothless manner, the court system has severely undermined regulatory authority (and it's going to be worse with the death of Chevron deference) and people keep electing Republicans who roll back any progress made on regulations.

But I’m sure you oppose RFK Jr as HHS Secretary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their authorizing laws deliberately were written in a toothless manner, the court system has severely undermined regulatory authority (and it's going to be worse with the death of Chevron deference) and people keep electing Republicans who roll back any progress made on regulations.

But I’m sure you oppose RFK Jr as HHS Secretary

An anti science anti vaxxer nut? Yes opposed to that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Additives US allows;

Artificial food colorings: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6
Potassium bromate: A common additive in baked goods that may cause cancer
Azodicarbonamide (ADA): A common additive in baked goods that may cause cancer
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO): A chemical used in soda and sports drinks that contains bromine, which has corrosive, toxic vapors
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): A flavor enhancer and preservative that is "reasonably anticipated" to be a human carcinogen
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT): A flavor enhancer and preservative that is subject to severe restrictions in Europe
Titanium dioxide (TiO2): Also known as E171
Propylparaben (E217): An additive that is banned in Europe

The FDA Himsn food program just made an office to deal with it but it will be hamstringed for the next 4+ years

Yaaaawwnnnn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their authorizing laws deliberately were written in a toothless manner, the court system has severely undermined regulatory authority (and it's going to be worse with the death of Chevron deference) and people keep electing Republicans who roll back any progress made on regulations.

+1

Politicians are beholden to business interests and it will get worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:US is pro business, Europe more pro consumer.

THIS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their authorizing laws deliberately were written in a toothless manner, the court system has severely undermined regulatory authority (and it's going to be worse with the death of Chevron deference) and people keep electing Republicans who roll back any progress made on regulations.

But I’m sure you oppose RFK Jr as HHS Secretary

RFK Jr is a bad choice because he is partially whacko in his ideas. He's right regarding the chemicals.
Not all lunatics are 100% off-base 100% of the time on 100% of the issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is pro business, Europe more pro consumer.

THIS!

+1000. RFK jr is right about all the chemicals and additives in food, but wrong about vaccines.

[Anonymous]

The FDA has large loopholes. That's how all those people got sick a few months ago.

Basically, the industry is left to police itself. They can label something as “Generally Recognized as Safe" like vinegar to by pass FDA review.

The FDA is way late to the game due to corporate interests. Think about how oxycotin flooded the market here, but not Europe

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fdas-hands-approach-additives-may-allow-unsafe-ingredients-food-expert-rcna

In July, the FDA banned the use of brominated vegetable oil after studies had shown that it could be potentially harmful to the liver and heart, and may be linked to neurological problems. The ingredient had already been banned in the U.K., the European Union, India and Japan.

the FDA’s designation of “Generally Recognized as Safe,” or GRAS, which is used by the agency to label ingredients that outside experts widely consider safe for use in foods. Ingredients deemed GRAS don’t need to undergo FDA approval before being used.

The rule was intended to simplify the use of common ingredients like salt and vinegar by avoiding a lengthy approval process while also freeing up the FDA’s limited resources.

Their review of the use of GRAS found, however, that over the years, food companies began using the rule as what Pomeranz called a “loophole” to add new substances — including natural sweeteners, preservatives and ingredients that enhance the texture of foods — that had not been fully vetted by the agency. Some companies have also used the rule to justify adding higher levels of caffeine to their products

From 1990 to 2010, an estimated 1,000 substances were labeled GRAS by manufacturers and were used without notifying the agency, Pomeranz said, citing earlier research. Since then, she added, there have likely been many more ingredients added to the nation’s food supply without the FDA’s oversight.

“We have no idea how many substances are in the food supply based on this self-GRAS mechanism,” Pomeranz said. “The food industry has basically made their own decisions about what is GRAS.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is pro business, Europe more pro consumer.

THIS!

+1000. RFK jr is right about all the chemicals and additives in food, but wrong about vaccines.

Yep. And it's very clear he plans to disrupt vaccines but won't do anything about microplastics or food additives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is pro business, Europe more pro consumer.

THIS!

+1000. RFK jr is right about all the chemicals and additives in food, but wrong about vaccines.

He’s using the same level of evidence and the same logic on the chemicals as the vaccines. You just agree with it in one case and disagree in another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there's profit to be made on consuming junk...the manufacturer, the distributor and then later, the hospitals and pharma to "fix" the problems from consuming junk.

This! Don’t forget the health insurance companies who make billions off of sick people.