pharmaceutical-technology.com

The US FDA budget is set to rise by $147m to $2.7bn under President Obama's 2012 budget proposal.

Commissioner of food and drugs Margaret Hamburg lauded the increase, saying that the “FDA protects and promotes the health of all Americans through every stage of life. The breath of this mandate means that FDA responsibilities will continue to grow”.

The agency is also set to receive approximately $1.6bn in fees paid by pharmaceutical, medical device and tobacco companies, equating to a total budget of $4.4bn for 2012.

The decision to increase FDA funding contradicts proposals set by House Republicans, who proposed cutting its budget by $241m from 2010 levels.