The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been using social media for over a year now and has expanded and built-out its channels to include Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Flickr.  Below are some statistics on the agency’s social media channels and engagement in 2011.  (As of 1.5.2012)   For more on the FDA and social media please read our other related blog, “What Does American Think of the FDA?”

 
Facebook Page
18,346 likes

101 posts in 2011

22 Average comments per post in 2011

Most commented … READ MORE

The FDA, like most other government agencies, has moved past its previous reticence and launched fully into the world of social media.  The FDA now has a Facebook page, multiple Twitter accounts, a YouTube channel and Flickr account, linking to each of them from every page on its voluminous website.  The fact that a government agency would embrace social networking tools created by a horde of tech-savvy 20-somethings from California is stunning in and of itself, but … READ MORE

Myth #1:  If FDA tests/rejects something then there must be a problem with it The FDA tests things all the time, even if there is not a problem with the shipment. The FDA uses Import Alerts, which are country or industry-wide notices that flag shipments due to prior problems, even if the problem does not actually appear in the current shipment. The FDA refuses countless shipments which might be just fine simply because they come from a region that is on Import Alert. This occurs because FDA … READ MORE

Click To Enlarge

Click To Enlarge

Sources

• http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/FruitsVegetablesJuices/ucm286302.htm

• http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/FruitsVegetablesJuices/ucm287783.htm

• http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title40-vol24/pdf/CFR-2011-title40-vol24-sec180-371.pdf