CFSAN Constituent Update

FDA, in Collaboration with American Medical Association, Releases Two Continuing Medical Education Videos: Identifying and Treating Foodborne Illness, and Talking to Patients About Food Safety February 21, 2018 Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in collaboration with the American Medical Association (AMA), announced the availability of two continuing medical education (CME) videos for physicians: What Physicians Need to Know About Foodborne Illness: Suspect, Identify, Treat, and Report Preventing Foodborne Illness: Talking to Patients About Food Safety The Federal government estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness, or food poisoning, annually – the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year. And each year, these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Although physicians are generally familiar with the illnesses caused by food contaminants, FDA and AMA feel that the globalization of the food supply and the continuing evolution of foodborne pathogens warrant updated medical education and patient counseling on foodborne illness. These changes create a need for physicians to guide patients in protecting themselves from foodborne illness, especially those who are among the most vulnerable to serious consequences and who are most likely to be in a physician’s care: the very young whose immune systems are not yet fully developed; individuals whose immune systems are weakened by pregnancy, age, chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer and HIV/AIDS; and persons with organ transplants taking immuno-suppressive medications. View the two CME videos on the FDA’s Food Safety and Nutrition Resources for Healthcare Professionals webpage. The videos and companion educational materials for both healthcare professionals and the public are available for access. Are you a physician? You can earn 1 AMA Physician’s Recognition AwardPRA Category 1 CME creditTM for this activity on the AMA education website.