Gottheimer says government shutdown putting patient‘s health at risk

On day 24 of the government shutdown, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th District, said that New Jersey residents are paying the price in terms of risk to the food supply and lost wages.
“It’s putting the safety of our skies and air passengers at risk, hundreds of thousands of workers have been sidelined without a paycheck and, because permits and small business loans have been frozen, the shutdown is costing New Jersey jobs, profits, and economic growth,” said Gottheimer, at a press conference on Monday at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck.
The shutdown, said Gottheimer, has had an alarming impact on public health and safety.
Gottheimer said that as a result of the shutdown, the Food and Drug Administration has massively cut back on food safety inspections. “This is a health and safety risk not just for New Jersey but for all Americans. It’s unacceptable. Given the recent outbreak of E.coli in lettuce, this is a risk that we can’t afford to take,” said Gottheimer.
Gottheimer said that he has been in contact with New Jersey Department of Health and local county officials including Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, about the possibility of using state and county health inspectors to fill the void and conduct food safety inspections.
Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center, said that foodborne illnesses hits one in six Americans, around 48 million annually, resulting in 112,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 fatalities.
“I’m concerned if the FDA is not doing their job properly,” said Saggar.
The FDA is in charge of inspecting 80 percent of our food supply, said Gotheimer, yet 41 percent of the FDA's 17,000 employees are currently furloughed.
“We need the FDA to operate fully to protect our families and food supplies. Without a cop on the beat the safety of our families at the dinner table is at risk,” said Gottheimer.

CREDIT: Jessica Perry