The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the availability of up to $260,000 in grant funds slated for “the support of a sole source” cooperative agreement between the agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses. According to FDA, the cooperative agreement represents “the continuation of a long-standing collaboration between WHO and FDA in support of strategies and approaches that align well domestically and globally to address food safety problems.”
Relevant strategies include (i) “efforts to strengthen data and information systems so they are comparable, comprehensive, and robust, thereby allowing for better decision-making for all Member States”; (ii) “enhanced capacity around the globe to improve detection of and response to food safety threats through preventive controls, data, information, surveillance systems, and risk-based approaches”; and (iii) “global harmonization of science-based standards and adoption or adaption of international standards by national authorities.” See Federal Register, June 28, 2011.