While FDA is NOT open to full Internet, etc; there is an FDA Bulletin Board
available to the public via Internet. I believe it's published by the Press
Office here. I'm not sure how often it's updated, but there are 1994 speeches
by the Commissioner that I just looked at. The bulletin board contains news
releases, enforcement reports, import alerts, drug and product approval lists,
etc. Its address is:
telnet fdabbs.fda.gov/login:bbs
Additionally, an FTP file area has just (5/10/94), been developed by the
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, (CDER), it DOES NOT contain
restricted or proprietary information, only information releasable to the
public.
CDVS2.CDER.FDA.GOV
the login = anonymous, and a HELP? command will get you a directory of
available commands.
There is also an FDA-produced food labeling database available through
Internet. It contains regulations and other information related to the
Nutrition Labeling and Education Act. You access this:
gopher zeus.esusda.gov
Choose menu items: USDA and Other Federal Agency Information and the Food
Labeling Information: FDA Regulations
There may be (probably are) other databases here in HHS that I'm unaware of
presently.
One really useful source of Internet U. S. government information is a
guide published by Blake Gumprecht, documents librarian at Temple University's
Paley Library (dated 1994). You can get it electronically--either contact
Blake via gumpbw@vm.temple.edu (Internet) or I found it full text at U. of
Michigan - Dearborn; and I'm sure someone more familiar with the Internet than
I can turn it up at other places as well.
John D. Berry
FDA Medical Library