House Committee Chair To Question FDA Head On Hemp-Derived CBD, Medical Devices

Congressman James Comer plans to investigate the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable (USHR), a coalition of companies and organizations that advocate for hemp-friendly regulations.

The Kentucky representative, who is chairman of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, intends to bring FDA Commissioner Robert Califf before the House committee to discuss critical issues falling within the agency’s regulatory jurisdiction such as hemp-derived CBD and medical devices.

“I want to bring the FDA commissioner in front of the committee, and this is one of the things that we want to talk about,” said Comer. “It’s not just their lack of action with respect to CBD and other types of hemp — it’s their inaction regarding a lot of areas of their jurisdiction.”

“There might not be a U.S. hemp industry had it not been for the Chairman’s actions as Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner, and he is continuing his strong advocacy for the nation’s farmers in his current role," Roundtable General Counsel Jonathan Miller said.

In August, the USHR sent a letter to Senators Chuck Schumer, Ron Wyden, and Cory Booker — the leading sponsors of the long-awaited comprehensive cannabis legalization bill, the Cannabis Administration Opportunity Act (CAOA) — suggesting changes to provisions within the measure that may affect the hemp industry.

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Photo: Courtesy Of Rick Proctor On Unsplash