FDA to Go on Mass Hiring Spree

FDA said yesterday that it wants to fill more than 600 new positions and more than 700 vacant ones by October, triple the number of people it hired between 2005 and 2007. This comes in response to rampant criticism of lax oversight and lack of specialists who are able to keep up with the latest technological advances. Hires will include biologists, chemists, medical officers, statisticians, epidemologists, and others, reports the Associated Press. About 150 will be inspectors, as the agency's understaffed inspection team has come under fire recently.This is just the beginning. 30% of FDA staff is eligible to retire, as is almost half of FDA management. Word on the street has been that many will choose to retire rather than move to the agency's new White Oak facility when that is finally ready to be fully operational.The agency will be holding job fairs around the country and has received permission from the Office of Personnel Management to expedite the hiring process.