Frank Yiannas, who served as deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration under both the Trump and Biden administrations, has sharply criticized the federal government's response to a widespread Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands of Americans. In an interview with Politico, Yiannas called for an independent review of the handling of the outbreak, pointing to what he described as a clear lack of strong federal leadership.
“This one deserves a lot of questions, and it is starting to approach a catastrophic level in terms of how mismanaged it’s been on multiple fronts,” Yiannas told the outlet.
As of Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 4,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis since the start of May. Among those, 308 people have been hospitalized, though no deaths have been recorded. The CDC also noted that state and local health departments have reported an additional 7,400 cases that have not yet been confirmed through lab testing.
Cyclosporiasis, caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the Cyclospora parasite, can lead to gastrointestinal illness with symptoms lasting up to two weeks, including diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, and bloating. Cases have been reported across 41 states, with Michigan seeing the highest concentration, according to the CDC.
The agency is currently investigating multiple Cyclospora outbreaks, including a multistate outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce. Last week, Taylor Farms, a major produce supplier to Taco Bell, recalled iceberg lettuce grown on a farm in central Mexico after the FDA opened an investigation into a possible connection. However, the FDA later walked back that claim, saying it had relied on an initial false positive test that was not supported by subsequent testing. Taylor Farms said in a Sunday statement that the FDA apologized to the company over the error.
Yiannas called the false positive misstep “extremely rare” and urged the FDA to release more details about the initial test result. “They just went too fast and they made a mistake,” he told Politico. “They should share more about how and why it happened and what they’ll do to prevent it in the future.”
The FDA announced Thursday it is investigating a new outbreak involving 72 cases, though it has not yet identified a location or possible source. The Hill has reached out to the FDA for comment on Yiannas’ call for an independent review.
The episode comes amid broader scrutiny of federal food safety efforts, including concerns over regulatory oversight and the handling of public health emergencies. Critics have also pointed to lapses in trade enforcement that may affect food imports. Meanwhile, the outbreak's scale has reignited debate about the need for stronger federal coordination, with some lawmakers echoing Yiannas' call for an independent probe.
