FDA Details Voluntary Qualified Importer Program Final Guidance with Q&A
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced final guidance for industry for a voluntary, fee-based program to allow the expedited review and importation of foods into the U.S. from importers with a proven track record of food safety and security.
According to FDA, the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP) will benefit both industry and consumers. Expedited entry provides importers an incentive to adopt a robust system of supply chain management and will allow FDA to focus its resources on examining and sampling food imports that are more likely to present a potential risk to public health.