Stakeholders Applaud CFSAN Director Sundlof’s Appointment

FDA's selection of Stephen F. Sundlof, former director of the veterinary medicine center, to head its food center is an unusual choice but is an encouraging sign of the agency's regard for improving the center's performance, some dietary supplement industry experts say.

Sundlof, a veterinarian and a researcher, transferred from the Center for Veterinary Medicine to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition on Jan. 7.

"It's kind of strange that a vet is now the head of CFSAN," food and drug attorney Marc Ullman said.

"Maybe they feel that the experience in dealing with the pet food situation qualifies him for dealing with the food supply," said Ullman, a partner in New York-based Ullman, Shapiro & Ullman.

While CFSAN needs a permanent director and Sundlof seems capable, it is a "peculiar" move, Ullman said.

Sundlof, a toxicologist, replaces Robert Brackett, who left CFSAN Nov. 30 to become senior vice president and chief science and regulatory affairs officer of the Grocery Manufacturers/Food Products Association. David Acheson, FDA's food safety director, served as temporary director of CFSAN in the interim (¹ (Also see "FDA’s Food Safety Chief Acheson Adds Interim CFSAN Post" - Pink Sheet, 26 Nov, 2007.), p. 8).

Sundlof has been CVM director for more than 10 years and previously was a toxicology professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine.

In a release, FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach notes Sundlof has "extensive experience in the food safety arena, including service on numerous domestic and international committees on food safety, where he served as chairman and led the development of new international policies and safety standards."

Sundlof also provided input on developing FDA's Food Protection Plan, released in November (² (Also see "Mandatory Food Recall Power For FDA Better Than Using Existing Authorities?" - Pink Sheet, 12 Nov, 2007.), p. 6).

During Sundlof's tenure at CVM, he dealt with scientific and policy issues including "antimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria, the protein hormone rBST," approved by the U.S. for increasing milk production in dairy cattle, developing regulations to protect cattle from bovine spongiform encephalopathy and the safety of the food obtained from animal clones, according to a Jan. 7 FDA statement.

Natural Products Association executive Daniel Fabricant said Sundlof brings a "stellar reputation," including experience with responding to pet food contamination in the U.S.

"Obviously he's dealt with some of the issues that are on the radar of food safety and of the food industry," he told "The Tan Sheet." "I think he's probably the right guy for the job," said Fabricant, NPA's VP for scientific and regulatory affairs. Fabricant added Sundlof's expertise in cloning issues will be valuable for the issues that are now coming into play on the food safety side.

American Herbal Products Association President Michael McGuffin said Sundlof has "considerable experience."

"I think this is an interesting choice and one that bodes well for the regulated trade," McGuffin said.

"It's a good signal that they are putting somebody with the kind of experience at FDA running a center, as Stephen Sundlof has, and it looks to me like a good decision," he added.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition is pleased FDA has appointed a permanent director for CFSAN.

"This is an important year in which FDA will need to focus a great deal of energy on ensuring safety in a global marketplace and we hope that the addition of Dr. Sundlof will help CFSAN accomplish its goals," CRN President and CEO Steve Mister says in a statement.

CVM Deputy Director Bernadette Dunham replaces Sundlof as director.

- Katie Stevenson ([email protected])