In the wake of a secret recall of defective but not dangerous medicine by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are looking to expand the Food & Drug Administration’s power to force companies to recall defective products.
In the spring of 2009, Johnson & Johnson paid contractors to buy up lots of the pain reliever Motrin it wanted to secretly pull from the market without making a public recall announcement. Company officials claim the FDA was in the know about the secret program, but the federal watchdog denies any knowledge.
With J&J CEO William Weldon slated to appear before a House panel today, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) has introduced a measure that would allow the FDA to compel recalls, according to The Boston Globe.
Republicans are also getting in on the act, asking federal investigators to look into the FDA’s handling of the Johnson & Johnson imbroglio. Rep. Darrell Issa (R.-Calif.) has asked the inspector general charged with FDA oversight to look into the Motrin recall.
Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, deputy commissioner of the FDA, is also slated to appear before the committee today.
