Dr. Scott Gottlieb Criticizes Taylor Farms for Requesting White House Intervention During Cyclospora Outbreak Recall
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, stated that it was unusual for Taylor Farms to request White House intervention during a cyclospora outbreak recall. The company reportedly contacted the White House to seek more time before the government publicly linked its products to the multi-state outbreak. Taylor Farms argued that federal investigators lacked positive laboratory evidence connecting its products to the outbreak and expressed concerns that the government was overstating its responsibility. The administration announced that the FDA would continue its investigation as the outbreak expands to nine states. Despite the company's request for more time, Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. The company stated that while a positive test result was a false positive, the recall remains in effect out of an abundance of caution. The outbreak has sickened thousands, with at least 1,947 infections reported in the nine states investigated by the CDC.