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News Bites….

Job Opportunities…

IFT provides each section with the current “IFT Jobs Available Bulletin,” which lists a variety of positions currently being advertised.  If you would like to receive a copy of this bulletin, please email the Employment Chair, Yaguang Luo, at LuoY@ba.ars.usda.gov. 

Do You Have News to Share with the DC-IFT?  

If you have information or ideas that you would like to contribute to the DC Section IFT Newsletter, please contact the Newsletter Editor, Jennifer Burnham, at jennifer.burnham@cfsan.fda.gov. 

Looking Ahead to our January Meeting...

In today’s complex environment, scientists are faced with ever-increasing management expectations that they clearly understand business-guiding principles of workplace conduct, vendor rules, non-disclosure of intellectual property and the establishment of practices necessary to protect business assets.  Advanced technology product portfolios, increasing use of technical outsourcing, intellectual property exchange, new governmental rules and regulations complicate liability issues for the scientist, business and vendors. Successful food products develop through associations between manufacturer and vendor, consultant and client, and internal and external professional contacts.  The relationship is established as a matter of trust and confidence or more formally developed through highly developed and carefully crafted contractual arrangement.  The degree of requirement is based upon legal, financial, technical and governmental considerations agreed to by stakeholders to avoid potential damaging and costly litigation.  Scientists may not receive or correctly perceive these business rules and legal boundaries when engaging business policy with workplace practice. Business managers may not comprehend the extent of sensitive activity that their scientists engage in to accomplish their required work. 

Challenges in establishing legally enforceable, protective and accountable relationships between scientists, businesses, government regulators and law enforcement agencies with a focus on the liability management of product and services will be addressed. What are best-practices solutions that should be used by the scientist in the protection of business assets?  What are some examples and lessons-learned from past failures of the scientist to properly manage liability between their business and interactions with outside vendors or government officials?  What can scientists do, in practical ways, to help reduce errors, omissions, and unintentional exchange of intellectual property? What is the potential liability resulting from exchanges of information under the auspices of national security including procedural actions and flow-of material interruptions resulting from FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement of the FDA Bioterrorism Act, Prior Notice requirements and arranged site visits to businesses involving federal, state and local officials in working risk and threat issue areas? Due diligence techniques and best practice examples on how stakeholders can manage these complex issues will be shared by leading professionals.

For more details, see the meeting announcement

December Meeting 

Join your Washington DC IFT colleagues and friends for

interesting dialogue and holiday cheer!

“Global Analysis of Obesity”

By

Andrew Benson

International Food Information Council

Obesity and overweight are frequently portrayed as reaching epidemic proportions globally, with major and increasing negative impact on consumers’ health and with rapidly escalating social and economic costs in virtually all world regions. Media coverage and governmental attention on obesity, children’s health, diabetes, coronary heart disease and other related diseases, as well as physical activity, (or the lack of it), have increased dramatically around the world.  Andrew Benson, Senior Director of International Relations for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) will provide an analysis of how obesity is affecting the world population and what the global community is doing to respond.  Mr. Benson will also address country-specific approaches in Europe, Asia and Australia/New Zealand to dealing with obesity.

January Meeting

“New Challenges in Managing Liability in the Scientific Workplace”

Co-sponsored by the:

Food Laws and Regulations Division, 
Washington DC Section
Marketing and Management Division

Moderator: David K. Park, Food-Defense, LLC

Challenges in establishing legally enforceable, protective and accountable relationships between scientists, businesses, government regulators and law enforcement agencies with a focus on the liability management of product and services will be addressed.  Due diligence techniques and best practice examples on how stakeholders can manage these complex issues will be shared by leading professionals.