WASHINGTON The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created an assistant-commissioner-level post to promote food safety and security and filled it with Dr. David Acheson, a key figure in past food-borne illness outbreaks involving restaurants.
In his new role as assistant commissioner for food protection, Acheson will "provide advice and counsel" to FDA commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach on "strategic and substantive food safety and food defense matters," the agency said. It noted that one of the Acheson's first assignments would be the development of an agency-wide plan for protecting the nation's food supply against contamination or tampering.
Acheson formerly served as chief medical officer and director of the office of food defense, communication and emergency response within the agency's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, widely known as CFSAN.
Although Acheson will counsel commissioner von Eschenbach, he reports to Murray Lumpkin, deputy commissioner for international and special programs.