(FDA: Washington) -- As part of the final phase of its transparency initiative, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking comment from the public and other interested stakeholders on how the agency can increase transparency in its interactions with regulated industry.

Posted in the March 12, Federal Register, the request for electronic or written comments has a deadline of April 12.

The FDA regulates products responsible for about 25 percent of the gross national product of the United States and the industries responsible for these products. Products regulated by the agency—biologics and blood products, human drugs, foods, medical devices, radiation-emitting devices, and veterinary medicines—are integral to public health and to the U.S. economy.

The agency formed an internal Transparency Task Force in response to the Obama Administration’s commitment to achieve “an unprecedented level of openness in government.” The Task Force is developing recommendations for making information about FDA activities and decisions more useful, understandable, and readily available, while appropriately protecting confidential information.

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