According to a newsletter distributed by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), 20 years ago it reported that it was concerned that the FDA lacked resources to fulfill its mission, which includes oversight of the safety and effectiveness of medical products, including human drugs, biologics, and medical devices, marketed for sale in the U.S. Now some two decades later, although user fees have added revenue to FDA's coffers, its responsibilites have also increased by the growing number of food and medical products entering the markeplace. The GAO still feels that the FDA needs more resources to do the job it needs to do effectively.

The FDA has come under much criticism over the past several years due to tainted food and recalled drugs which apparently slipped through FDA's hands.

Do you think the FDA is still a viable organization for safeguarding food and drugs in this country? What do you think needs to be done to assure U.S. citizens that food and drugs being manufactured and imported into the U.S. are safe?

Also, should vitamins and other supplements be approved by the FDA?