Ailing FDA May Need Major Restructuring

The Obama administration will inherit a Food and Drug Administration widely seen as struggling to protect Americans from unsafe medication, contaminated food and a flood of questionable imports from China and other countries. The agency's public image and staff morale has been damaged by a perceived tilt toward industry and away from consumer protection under the Bush administration. Many say it is overdue for a doubling of its budget in order to keep up with the increased number of goods it must oversee.