The FDA:  What it Does, and What That Means to You

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is our nation's oldest protection agency, dating back to 1906.  It regulates nearly 25 cents of every consumer dollar spent. The Agency is responsible for assuring the safety and nutritional quality of our food, the safety and effectiveness of medical products (pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices, even drugs for pets) and the safety of the blood supply and tobacco products. 

Joe Levitt, a former FDA employee, will discuss the FDA at a presentation sponsored by the Center for Lifelong Learning (CLL), on Tuesday, Sept 9 at 2:00 p.m. in the Clubhouse II auditorium.  Levitt will explain the many ways the FDA protects the public health and how it does it all with a smaller budget and staff than many local school systems. He will also address the FDA’s limitations and what current changes are underway.

About the Presenter

Levitt had a 25-year career at the FDA and was recognized for his many achievements.  A lawyer by training, he functioned as FDA Chief of Staff in the Office of the Commissioner, as Deputy Director/Policy in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, and as Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.  

He was directly involved in such landmark achievements as the Nutrition Facts Label on foods, various pathways to bring promising new drugs to market more quickly, the first nationwide mammography quality regulations, and the nation's response to 9/11 to keep the food supply safe.   

After leaving FDA, Levitt became a partner in a DC law firm, where he was involved in the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010.  Since his retirement in 2021, Levitt runs his own leadership coaching business, and as an FDA Alumni Association board member leads a free pilot mentoring program for FDA staff who were victims of the recent downsizing. 

Residents are asked to register for this CLL program beginning Tuesday, August 19, at 9 a.m. by calling or visiting the Lifestyle office of either clubhouse. A $5 fee will be collected at the door and can be paid by cash or check payable to the Center for Lifelong Learning.