Senior FDA official resigns following baby formula crisis, turmoil in agency
Frank Yiannas' resignation comes as the FDA is poised to announce a series of steps it’s taking to address its response to the formula crisis and other breakdowns.
By Meredith Lee Hill
01/25/2023 04:20 PM EST
Updated: 01/25/2023 06:49 PM EST
Frank Yiannas has resigned from his post as the Food and Drug Administration’s deputy commissioner for food policy and response, following the baby formula crisis and a series of internal breakdowns at the main agency tasked with overseeing food safety in the U.S.
Yiannas confirmed the move to POLITICO on Wednesday, which was first reported by Food Fix. He’s held the position since December 2018.
An FDA spokesperson said Yiannas’ resignation will be effective Feb. 24.
“The FDA remains committed to providing an update on steps to strengthen the Human Foods Program at the end of January and additional updates on the organizational structure, including how responsibilities of Mr. Yiannas’ position will be handled moving forward, by the end of February,” the spokesperson said.
Yiannas was among the senior FDA officials involved in the Biden administration’s hobbled response to the infant formula crisis. FDA officials were warned months before about food safety concerns at a key plant in Sturgis, Mich. operated by Abbott Nutrition. The plant issued a recall of some formula products, after reports that babies died after drinking formula from the facility and FDA inspectors finding strains of a bacteria that can be deadly to infants. Abbott has maintained that there is no link between the deaths and the formula at the plant.
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https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/25/senior-fda-official-resigns-baby-formula-crisis-00079502
