Obama says FDA due for 'complete review'

He may have been prompted by peanut butter, but President Obama's promise of a "complete review" at the FDA is sure to range beyond food safety. In the wake of the big salmonella outbreak traced to Peanut Corp. of America, Obama says the agency hasn't been on the ball. "[T]he FDA has not been able to catch some of these things as quickly as I expect them to," the president said.

Meanwhile, the president is just days away from appointing a permanent chief to head up the embattled agency. Just how many days? Press Secretary Robert Gibbs didn't say.

As you know, a host of critics have been calling for an overhaul of the FDA. Everyone from congressional committees to the agency's own science board to the Government Accountability Office have weighed in, saying that the FDA is underfunded, understaffed and underperforming. The agency has netted some additional money and staff, but experts say it's still not enough to put it on the right track.

- read the story in USA Today
- get more from the Washington Post