PRESS RELEASE: New coalition forms to support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rigorous scientific review process
Former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretaries Shalala and Azar to co-chair the Coalition for Safe Food and Beverage Choices
Washington, D.C. – The Coalition for Safe Food and Beverage Choices, a diverse collection of business, consumer, labor, multicultural and public health advocacy groups, today announced that it has formed to support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s reliable and rigorous scientific review and approval process. The FDA reliably certifies the safety of foods, beverages, cosmetics and drugs.
The coalition co-chairs are former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretaries Donna Shalala and Alex Azar. Shalala is a distinguished academic, public servant and health policy expert and was Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) during the Clinton administration. She also was president of the University of Miami, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, president of the Clinton Foundation and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Alex Azar has demonstrated expertise in corporate and government roles in healthcare. He was HHS Secretary in the Trump administration. Azar previously served as president of the U.S. division of Eli Lilly and Company. He is currently an adjunct professor of business and senior executive in residence at the University of Miami Herbert Business School, a member of the board of trustees of the Aspen Institute and a member of several corporate boards.
“The FDA has long been the trusted authority on what is safe for Americans to consume,” Shalala said.
Azar added: “We have both served as U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services, overseeing the nation’s health-related policies and regulations and have been dedicated to safeguarding public health throughout our careers. Our work on the Coalition for Safe Food and Beverage Choices is a continuation of that commitment to sound science and public health.”
Among other issues, the coalition will highlight the FDA’s repeated verification over 40 years that aspartame, an ingredient used by millions of Americans to reduce sugar in their diets, is safe. The coalition will work with consumers, businesses, community organizations and policymakers to ensure the continued availability of aspartame in foods, beverages and common medicines.
“Aspartame is the most studied ingredient in the food supply,” Shalala said. “As co-chairs of the Coalition for Safe Food and Beverage Choices, we are committed to standing by the FDA’s repeated scientific reviews that find that aspartame is safe. We are excited to combine our expertise and passion for public health to support this common goal.”
For more information about the Coalition for Safe Food and Beverage Choices, please visit safechoicesforall.com.
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