House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer has expressed approval for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to expand its use of unannounced inspections at foreign manufacturing facilities. These facilities produce food and medical products used by Americans.
Comer stated, “Americans deserve safety, transparency, and accountability when it comes to the manufacturing of products they use every day.” He criticized past practices where countries like China were allowed to dictate inspection terms, giving facilities advance notice. He noted that domestic manufacturers did not receive similar treatment.
The FDA’s new policy aims to hold foreign manufacturing facilities to the same standards as those in the United States. Comer praised FDA Commissioner Makary for prioritizing American consumer safety through enhanced oversight.
The House Committee had previously investigated inconsistencies in FDA’s inspection standards during a 2024 probe into federal responses to political strategies by the Chinese Communist Party. The investigation revealed that Chinese facilities received advance notice of inspections and could negotiate inspection details, unlike their American counterparts who faced unannounced checks. This discrepancy posed risks for American consumers potentially encountering unsafe products from China.
The Committee recommended that the FDA conduct timely, independent, and unannounced inspections abroad, aligning with practices applied domestically.
