France Adopts Modest Health, Food Safety Control Project

France has abandoned the idea of creating a large-scale Food and DrugAdministration, opting instead for a project developed by the previous administration for two distinct bodies. The first agency will be responsible for the approval and supervision of drugs, medicines and blood products, absorbing the existing Drugs Agency and the agency for blood products, while the second will cover all aspects of food safety.

The behind-the-scenes debate on the project has focused on the extent of the powers and responsibilities to be invested in the new body for the surveillance and control of products consumed by the public. The BSE crisis as it affected French opinion was a factor in promoting reform of the present setup because it demonstrated the impotence of the health administration in intervening in matters in which it had no direct competence. Recent debates such as those over genetically-modified organisms equally demonstrated the shortcomings in the current legislation.

A first draft of the legislation to set up the twin-pole structure is expected to get its first reading in the Senate at the end of this month.