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Spring Issue 2008
Expanded Interaction Between SOT and FDA Underway
The SOT Council continues to identify and explore opportunities for the Society to have a greater impact in areas of interest to the membership. As part of this effort, SOT leadership recently met in Washington, D.C. with Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. (Commissioner of FDA), Janet Woodcock, M.D. (Deputy Commissioner of FDA), and five other members of the FDA leadership on January 31, 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to identify areas of mutual interest where cooperative action would assist both the FDA and SOT to meet their respective responsibilities, particularly as related to enhancing the safety of food and drugs for the American public. Dr. von Eschenbach expressed FDA's strong commitment to the field of toxicology, as evidenced by appointments of toxicologists to leadership positions in the Agency and support of the National Center for Toxicological Research. The meeting was productive and participants identified several opportunities for expanded interactions in the future.
The FDA and SOT will jointly explore ways to increase FDA participation in the SOT Annual Meeting. This will result in greater exchange of information and views among the FDA, industry, and academic attendees with interests in the safety of food and drugs. In addition, specific plans are being developed for the identification of topics on food and drug safety for inclusion as Symposia, Workshops, Roundtables, and/or Informational Sessions at future SOT Annual Meetings starting with the 2009 meeting. Through discussions at the January meeting and follow-up interactions, the SOT and FDA are exploring ways to assist FDA in identifying individuals with toxicology expertise for FDA advisory panels. Additional discussions focused on how SOT might assist in training efforts that are planned within the Agency. The possibility of using the SOT Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology series as a mechanism for FDA to obtain broad-based input on scientific issues was also discussed.
Moving forward on the issues of interest identified at the January meeting will require additional Council deliberations and interactions between the Agency and the Society. To this end, the SOT and FDA are forming a joint Liaison Group to facilitate future interactions. The SOT Council is confident that the outcomes of expanded interactions will be mutually beneficial to both SOT membership and the FDA.
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