Public Meeting to Address Agenda Items at the Second Session of the Codex Ad Hoc

[2008-12-23 17:06:48]

Congressional and Public Affairs

(202) 720-9113

Peggy Riek



WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, and the U.S. Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), today announced a public meeting to present draft U.S. positions and receive comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Second Session of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) , to be held in Seoul, Korea, Oct. 20 - 24, 2008.



The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008, from 1 - 3 p.m., at FDA, 7519 Standish Place, Room 152, Rockville, Md.



Documents and agenda items related to the Second Session of the AMR Task Force are available on the Codex Web site at www.codexalimentarius.net/current.asp .



Codex was created in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Codex develops food standards, guidelines and codes of practice in order to protect the health of consumers, and ensure fair food trade practices and promote coordination of food standards undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.



The AMR Task Force was established by the 29th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2006 to develop science-based guidance to be used to assess the risks to human health associated with the presence in food and feed, including aquaculture, and the transmission through food and feed of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms and antimicrobial resistance genes. The AMR Task Force would also consider appropriate risk management options to reduce such risk. The Task Force is hosted by the Republic of Korea.



Interested parties should submit their comments in advance and reference activities of the Second Session of the Task Force on AMR by e-mail to Dr. David White, U.S. Delegate, at David.White@fda.hhs.gov . For further information about the Second Session of the Task Force on AMR, contact Dr. White by e-mail or by phone at (301) 210-4181.



Persons requiring a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations should contact Edith Kennard, Staff Officer, U.S. Codex Office, Food Safety and Inspection Service, at (202) 720-5261, or by e-mail at Edith.Kennard@fsis.usda.gov .
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Last Modified: September 19, 2008
Source: FSIS
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