Ex-FDA official calls for independent Cyclospora review
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- Frank Yiannas, former FDA Deputy Commissioner who served under both President Trump and former President Biden, publicly criticized the federal government's handling of a Cyclospora outbreak in an interview with Politico.
- The Cyclospora outbreak has impacted thousands of Americans, according to Yiannas's account.
- Yiannas called for an independent review of the federal government's outbreak response, making him a rare high-ranking former official to publicly demand accountability for the handling of the incident.
- Yiannas's bipartisan résumé — service under both the Trump and Biden administrations — sets his call apart from purely partisan criticism of the federal response.
Why it matters: Yiannas is a rare two-administration FDA deputy using his platform to demand accountability for an outbreak that has affected thousands of Americans. An independent review, if launched, would force disclosure of internal coordination between the FDA and other agencies during the outbreak and could pressure Congress or the administration to restructure foodborne illness response procedures.
