FDA to hire ‘chief outbreak director’

The chief outbreak director will lead a 40 person team dedicated to dealing with foodborne illness outbreaks and will report to deputy commissioner for food safety Michael Taylor, the agency said.

Among other responsibilities related to the agency’s response to foodborne illness outbreaks, one of the key functions of the new role will be to decide whether it is necessary to order a food recall – a new authority granted to the FDA with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law at the beginning of the year.

Currently, the FDA brings together people from different departments to respond to foodborne illness outbreaks. The new multidisciplinary team will function as part of the FDA and will work in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local public health authorities and the food industry.