After proposing an organization-wide restructuring of its offices, which would transfer oversight of supplements to an Office of Food Chemical  Safety, Dietary Supplements, and Innovation (OFCSDSI), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has selected James “Jim” Jones to serve as the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, a newly-created position. Jones will tentatively oversee 12 offices, including OFCSDSI, based on FDA’s presently-proposed reorganization structure.  
 
Jones will set and advance priorities for a proposed unified Human Foods Program (HFP). The program’s areas will include food safety, chemical safety, and innovative food products, including those from new agricultural technologies, which will bolster resilience of the U.S. food supply in the face of climate change and globalization. Focus will also be placed on reducing diet-related diseases and improving health equity.
 
Jones is slated to begin his new role on September 24.
 
Jones has held various positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for more than 30 years. His career involved managing teams, strategic planning, and thought leadership around issues related to chemical safety and sustainability in the environment, such as lessening the impact that chemicals and pollution have on the U.S. food supply. He had a lead role in the 2016 overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act, which was the first update of the statute in more than 40 years. He also was responsible for decision-making around pesticides and commercial chemicals.
 
National sustainability programs which he led included the EPA’s Environmental Preferable Purchasing Program and the Presidential Green Chemistry Awards Challenge.
 
Jones was also part of the Reagan-Udall Foundation’s Expert Panel for Foods, which evaluated FDA’s operations and made recommendations about the proposed new HFP.
 
“I’m delighted to welcome Jim to the FDA. His impressive career, extensive leadership experience, and passionate vision for the future of the Human Foods Program make him an ideal selection for this pivotal position,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, MD. “Our proposed reorganization is the largest undertaking of its kind in recent history for our agency. I’m confident that under Jim’s leadership, we will build a stronger organization that will be integrated with other components of the FDA and focused on keeping the foods we regulate safe and nutritious, while ensuring the agency remains on the cutting edge of the latest advancements in food science and nutrition. I’m looking forward to working with him when he joins us next month.”
 
Jones will report directly to the FDA commissioner, and will exercise decision-making authority over all HFP entities including the Office of Regulatory Affairs. He will provide executive leadership over the entire program as well as over resource allocation, risk-prioritization strategy, policy, and major response activities involving human foods. The leadership for Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and Office of Food Policy and Response will report to Jones until the proposed HFP reorganization is implemented.  
 
“I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as the first Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the FDA. I had the pleasure of serving on the expert panel that provided operational recommendations for the FDA’s foods-related activities, and I now look forward to helping the agency realize its vision for the proposed Human Foods Program, including carrying out important nutrition initiatives to improve the health of our country,” said Jones. “As a former pesticide regulator, I have a deep understanding of the unique needs of government programs involved in upholding safety of the U.S. food supply, as well as the important role that the agriculture community and state partners play in this paradigm. I am honored to serve the FDA and the country in this new capacity.”
 
FDA: Dietary Supplements will Remain a ‘Critical Priority’
 
At the time of the announcement of Jones’ appointment, FDA also issued a release with more details about the plans for the dietary supplements program under the new reorganization, stating that the newly-created Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements, and Innovation (OFCSDSI) is designed to ensure that dietary supplement enforcement remains a “critical priority” for the agency.
 
The present Office of Dietary Supplement Programs will report directly to this newly-created office, and will be similar to how the office currently reports to an individual who manages several offices.
 
However, the current individual reports to the CFSAN Center Director while the OFCSDSI director is proposed to report to a Deputy Commissioner.  
 
“There are currently no plans to reduce ODSP’s resources or capabilities, and it will remain the lead office responsible for executing the agency’s responsibilities under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as amended by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act,” the agency reported. “The vision for the new OFCSDSI is to modernize and strengthen the assessment of food chemicals and facilitate safe and innovative ingredients for use in foods and dietary supplements. ODSP will remain a distinct office executing the agency’s responsibilities under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for dietary supplement products.”
 
CRN Applauds Jones’ Appointment
 
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), which earlier reported that it was trying to “change FDA’s mind about the reorganization” due to concerns that supplement enforcement would be downgraded as a priority, applauded Jones’ appointment.
 
Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN, said that the trade association is set on ensuring today’s key issues related to dietary supplements get Jones’ due attention.
 
“Today’s announcement reflects the FDA’s urgency to improve its oversight of food and strengthen consumer confidence in the safety of these products. We are hopeful Mr. Jones shares our interests in robust agency attention to dietary supplements as well,” Mister said. “We congratulate Deputy Commissioner Jones, and look forward to discussing the many challenges that face our industry, which includes the agency’s prioritization of our needs. We are eager to share with him our concerns and the diverse needs of our membership, and to help him better understand the important space we occupy in the large category of products he now oversees.”