Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, spoke on April 14 about how the Biden administration is developing federal nutrition guidelines for Americans. I asked for information about.
Sen. Cassidy and Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, will discuss the current scientific review of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), specifically the Alcohol and Sugar Intake Guidelines. Transparency has not been achieved, according to a letter the review sent on April 14 to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Sen. Cassidy and his colleagues said, “Clarifying how the DGAC will review scientific evidence in preparation for publication of its final scientific report next year will help ensure that the recommendations finalized through the Dietary Guidelines “This is critical to building trust in matters and promoting healthy lifestyles.”
According to the senators’ letter, the departments are currently working to finalize the upcoming 2025 Dietary Guidelines, which will guide federal programs and provide the latest updates to help consumers make healthy decisions. It serves as an important foundation for supporting nutritional information.
“However, this review must be conducted in a transparent manner and based on sound scientific evidence,” Sens. Cassidy and Boozman wrote, adding that HHS and the Department of Agriculture have previously consulted with Congress and other interested parties. He pointed out that the company had come under intense scrutiny from stakeholders for a lack of transparency. Development of guidelines.
For example, in 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report recommending departments improve the selection process for DGAC experts to limit conflicts of interest and ensure a balance of scientific perspectives. did.
“However, HHS and USDA declined to implement this recommendation, citing ‘resource limitations (cost and time),'” the senators wrote. “How did HHS and USDA screen her DGAC membership for potential conflicts of interest and balance of scientific viewpoints?”
Sen. Cassidy and his colleagues asked Mr. Becerra and Mr. Vilsack to answer several other questions, including how DGAC will develop its final guidance recommendations.
