Back to: Introduction to FDA’s Office of Trade and Global Partnerships
Presenter
Matthew Scherer
International Policy Analyst
Office of Trade and Global Partnerships (OTGP)
Office of Global Policy and Strategy (OGPS)
Office of the Commissioner (OC)
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Abstract
This presentation outlines the FDA’s involvement in the United Nations Plastic Pollution Treaty negotiations, led by Matthew Scherer. The effort stems from a March 2022 UN Environment Assembly resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, addressing its full life cycle. The negotiations involve five Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings, with the final session scheduled for November in Busan, aiming for an instrument ready for signing by the end of 2024. The United States government is committed to a leadership role, seeking an ambitious and broadly participated agreement implementable under current U.S. law. While the FDA has limited direct authority over plastic waste, it actively participates to ensure the instrument does not undermine existing FDA regulatory decisions, compromise the availability of essential medical products, or erode consumer confidence, given that many regulated products use or are packaged in plastic. The FDA also contributes scientific expertise and encourages industry innovation. The pharmaceutical industry, represented by IFPMA, supports a harmonized instrument but emphasizes plastic’s crucial role in medical product safety and efficacy, advocating for targeted compliance periods or exceptions for medical products to maintain patient access. A key observation from negotiations is the scarcity of health ministry and regulatory agency attendance, despite the potential impact on food and medical products.