It is the purpose and goal of both departments to further promote an enhanced knowledge, efficiency and expertise base to collaborate.
"The partnership is part of the ongoing drug and medical product safety initiatives," according to the FDA press release.
The "Memorandum of Understanding," signed by both parties, outlines the areas and responsibilities for each partner to establish and implement the future changes based on current government laws.
Confidentiality and unauthorized disclosure will be recognized in the sharing of their information. Certain safeguarded policies and procedures will be used to protect shared access to information. Restrictions of existing federal statutes and regulations will guide the information shared.
"Patient safety is our primary concern," said Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD, Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
"This collaboration will benefit VHA, FDA and all Americans by enhancing our ability to fully understand the life cycle of a product," stated von Eschenbach.
"It will also better enable us to identify new risks and more fully understand known risks caused by specific medical products as well as to better communicate that information to health care practitioners and patients," added Eschenbach.
Michael Kussman, MD, Acting Under Secretary for Health for VHA, stated, "This truly is a natural partnership. [The] VHA offers enrolled veterans the largest integrated health care system in the nation and leads the way in many areas of health care quality and safety."
"We are eager to continue to work with [the] FDA to accomplish our shared mission of protecting public health," added Kussman.
The joint effort, which was signed by Kussman and von Eschenbach on separate dates in January, will be re-evaluated and assessed regularly.
