Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, is urging President Obama to make an early nomination of "a new, effective FDA Commissioner who has solid expertise on FDA issues, is committed to public health and safety, and is independent of the industries that the FDA regulates." The letter also addresses the backlog of consumer issues before the FDA including restoring scientific integrity on issues such as BPA and nanotechnology, and ensuring the safety of imported and domestic foods, drugs, and devices.

Earlier this week, Obama promised a review of FDA operations, and in a JAMA article on the melamine scandal, Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union, criticized the FDA saying “They are absolutely not equipped to deal with a global economy."

For more, read the full letter to President Obama, and see Jean Halloran's Op Ed on FDA Modernization.