Food and Drug Safety blues Posted by Reggie at 08/13/07 05:06 PM

I just read an informative and entertaining article about the history and current woes of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The author, Emily Friedman has a way with words and with reducing very wonky data and policy into digestible bites.

Author Emily Friedman

She had me from the point she started quoting blues lyrics. In this case, it was "Jake Walk Blues." So what does this have to do with Food safety? In short, Jake was a 1920's and 30's adulterated patent medicine that caused approximately 50,000 men to suffering permanent paralysis. The signature paralyzed leg walk became know as “Jake Foot” or “Jake Legs”.

Cracking down on the hucksters responsible for shilling the poison is one of several bright spots in the agency's history. Friedman recounts this history as her lead in to “what happened to the FDA.” Whether one's interest is in food, drug or supplement safety, the article is a good read.

comments (1)

1 Posted by Amanda at 08/15/07 04:13 PM

this article is a great overview.i appreciate a good jamacian ginger beer without TOCP poisoning!haha Glad to hear the FDA had a shining moment in the '30s. seems like an awful long time ago though...