Food Illness Accountability

About

The Association for Food Illness Accountability (AFIA) is a national organization calling for accurate reporting off foodborne illness so that targeted solutions can effectively diminish the occurrence of disease.

Today, no one knows how many cases of foodborne illness occur each year.

The discrepancies found on the Center for Disease Control website (cdc.gov) are alarming.

• CDC reports 17,252 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection for 2006.
  CDC MMWR Weekly April 13, 2007 /56(14);336-339

• In 2008 a total of 18,499 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection in FoodNet surveillance areas were identified. The lack of significant change in recent years is in contrast to trends from 1996, when FoodNet surveillance began, to 2004.
  CDC MMWR Weekly April 10, 2009 / 58(13);333-337

• CDC report estimates 76 million cases yearly, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths.
  1999 Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States
  

In the past 12 years the number of reported cases is relatively stable. Many incidences of foodborne illness have declined. We must ask the question.

Why are we are we not attempting to verify the 76 million estimate?

The answer lies partially in FoodNet, (Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network). This system monitors nine foodborne diseases across ten states representing oversight of 45 million Americans, or roughly 15% of our population. Statistically, this is a sound pool. FoodNet was established in 1996. http://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/

The full explanation lies in the understanding that this is a “passive” system. It is commonly believed that only a small proportion of diseases are reported to the Department of Health, although in most states these diseases are “required” to be reported.

The Association for Food Illness Accountability believes it’s time to hold the CDC and FoodNet responsible. Where food illness is concerned, it is time to be “active, rather than “passive.” Define the problem to strategize solutions. After all, our approach should be different if we are seeking to cure the common cold or stem the tide of pandemic flu.

About AFIA
Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the Association for Food Illness Accountability is dedicated to establishing the use of accurate data as the sole means for measuring the country's progress against foodborne illness. AFIA was born out of a concern that the CDC, legislators and other public officials continue to use 10-year-old, non-substantiated estimates as the basis for recommending and funding national foodborne illness policy. Data collected over the past 10 years from the CDC’s own FoodNet has established a high degree of confidence and should immediately become the measuring stick used for further policy decisions and investment of taxpayer monies. For further information regarding AFIA please contact: AFIA@foodillnessaccountability.com