The story describes how researchers, individuals and businesses can’t get vital public information from the FDA because of a backlog in filling Freedom of Information requests. The FDA’s 20,365 unfilled requests for information exceeded the totals for the departments of Defense and Justice, the Blum reported. One company, FOI Services Inc., accounted for 44 percent of the backlog. Researchers, consumer groups and individuals said the delays limited their ability to alert the public to food and drug dangers and to hold the FDA accountable.
