Consumer Protections
Kennedy contributed to a number of bills that worked toward increasing consumer protections in the food and medical industry, many during the last decade of his tenure. His first effort — the 1976 Medical Device Amendments — gave the FDA authority to regulate medical devices before they reached the market. In 2003, Kennedy authored the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection act, which required food manufacturers to print warning labels with potential allergens on their products. In 2007, Kennedy proposed legislation to increase the Food and Drug Administration's power to regulate drugs after they reached the marketplace, part of Kennedy's effort to strengthen the FDA during his tenure. He had criticized the agency during the Bush administration for bowing to political pressure and made a public appeal in 2006 for agency reform.