OBSERVATIONS

FDA Consumer, Jan, 2001 by Larry Thompson

When John W. Hinckley Jr. shot President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. rushed into the White House press room and declared that he was "in control here." It wasn't a coup. Secretary Haig was just trying to reassure the nation and the world that the government of the United States would go on if the president died from his wounds.

Secretary Haig was criticized, and then long teased, for acting prematurely: After all, Vice President George Bush was unharmed, safely flying back to Washington and available to assume his constitutional responsibility. Secretary Haig was fourth in line, after the vice president, the House's speaker and the Senate's president pro tempore. The laws dictating an order of succession were in place and the government's leaders stood ready to follow them. Fortunately, the president didn't die and the nation--and the government--did continue with little interruption.

America thrives because it is a nation of laws and the laws transcend any individual. We can see that again with the current presidential election. As I write this at the beginning of December, the election is still unresolved, but everyone knows it will be. There is no panic in the streets, no tanks on the corner. The rules that regulate the electoral process rest on the Constitution, are watched over by the courts, and have been honored by everyone involved.

Meanwhile, the government continues to do its work.

That impresses me. This is my first tour of government duty. I've been at the Food and Drug Administration a few years now, and I've come to appreciate two things: FDA's actions are based on a solid foundation of laws, and the people who work here, who give the agency its heart, care deeply about the public they serve.

The nation's food and drug laws reach all the way back to President Theodore Roosevelt, who signed the original Pure Food and Drugs Act. In just five years, the nation will mark the Act's 100th anniversary. FDA's legal mandates increased dramatically over the decades.

Moreover, the agency's professionals--doctors, nurses, pharmacists, many types of scientists and lawyers--directed by these laws and using the best science available, make reasoned decisions about the safety and effectiveness of the therapeutic products and the foods now on the market. I experience the commitment of my colleagues every time we discuss an article in this magazine. Their knowledge, caring and commitment gives this publication its credibility.

And I see that FDA's work goes on, no matter what the uncertainty in the nation's political life. The agency continues to review and approve new drugs, anticipates changing technologies that create new products (see the cover story on transgenic animals), considers global issues (see the story on international food safety) and even worries about issues close to home (see the story on hair-care products).

The business of government also goes on. Since Election Day, the Government Printing Office, which prints this magazine, notified FDA that the magazine's subscription price would be going up--a lot. After careful--and gracious--discussions with Superintendent of Documents Francis J. Buckley Jr., GPO agreed to keep the price hike to a minimum, $1.50. FDA Consumer is GPO's most popular consumer publication, and Mr. Buckley added his considerable support to its growth. So for the next year, this magazine will cost $13.50. With the recent improvements in the magazine--more articles, shorter articles, and more color--it's still a bargain. I hope you stay with us to see what comes next.