Source calls proposal "a full frontal assault on public health"

It's good to see the US FDA standing up to industry pressures and the outgoing Trump Administration by refusing to transfer the regulation of gene-edited animals to the USDA – see the article below.

The source quoted in the article calls the proposal to transfer regulatory oversight to the USDA "a full frontal assault on public health" – reflecting GMWatch's own position.
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Ag Policy Blog: FDA won't transfer animal gene-editing authority to USDA

By Jerry Hagstrom
DTN Progressive Farmer, 13 Jan 2021
https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/ag-policy-blog/blog-post/2021/01/13/fda-transfer-animal-gene-editing

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn has told the Health and Human Services Department that he would refuse to sign a proposal transferring regulatory power over gene-edited animals to the Agriculture Department, Politico reported late Tuesday.

Politico said Hahn was concerned about the legality of the transfer and the potential health repercussions of relaxing oversight of certain genetically altered products.

“This is a full frontal assault on public health,” said a person familiar with Hahn's thinking, Politico said.

In a statement, Hahn said the agency “has maintained its commitment to protecting the public health based upon good science,” and that it remains “open to having dialogues with HHS about important public health policy issues,” Politico reported.