Public’s Opinion of FDA Shows Room for Improvement

(PharmaLive – Business Wire)

A new Harris Interactive®/HealthDay poll finds the reputation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has improved since a similar survey conducted a year ago in April 2008. For example, positive ratings for managing prescription drug recalls or withdrawals increased from 39% to 53%. However, most people still give the FDA negative ratings on ensuring the safety of imported food (56%) and drugs (52%), and on getting new drugs to the market more quickly (54%).

According to U.S. adults, the two top priorities for the FDA are ensuring the safety of food eaten in the U.S. (59%) and ensuring the safety and efficacy of new prescription drugs (37%). On both of these, people’s opinions of the FDA are divided – 48% positive to 49% negative on food, and 47% to 47% on the safety and efficacy of new drugs.

These are some of the results of a Harris Interactive®/HealthDay Poll conducted online within the United States between April 13 and 15, 2009 among a national cross section of 2,495 adults age 18 and over. Read more here.