FDA launches task force on classification of borderline products

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a task force that will focus on classifying borderline products, an official said Friday.

FDA Director General Samuel Zacate said Task Force Diomede seeks to focus on streamlining the process of classification of borderline products or products that are not clearly classified.

Products registered to the FDA are classified as drugs, devices, cosmetics, household/urban hazardous substances, and food. 

“When we say borderline products, they do not have a category. So hindi mo alam kung pagkain siya o gamot siya, hindi mo alam kung medical device siya o gamot siya. So ang tendency, when the person (seeks certification) for it, nadi-disapprove po namin,” Zacate said on a televised public briefing

(When we say borderline products, they do not have a category. So we don’t know if it’s food or medicine, if it’s a medical device or a drug. So the tendency is when the person (seeks certification) for it, we disapprove of it.)

Due to this, he said the possibility of new products entering the country’s market will be diminished. 

He said the task force is part of the agency’s innovation to cope with evolving technology.

“Once ma-establish po namin ‘yung Task Force Diomede… magkakaroon ng wide range of market sa Pilipinas,” he said.

(Once the Task Force Diomede is established… we will have a wide range of market in the Philippines.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News