Herbalife just commented Vasilios H. Frankos, M.S, Ph.D, will retire from the FDA in March and join the company as senior VP, product compliance and safety, effective Apr 2010. Frankos is now the director, division of diet additions programs, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nourishment ( CFSAN ), at the Food and Drug Administration. He’ll report to the firm’s General Advise Brett Chapman. Frankos, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on diet additions, has more than 20 years experience in making policies and standards for effective and safe diet additions and ingredients, and led efforts in developing good producing practices ( cGMPs ) and Significant Adverse Events Reporting.

“Bill Frankos typifies Herbalife’s dedication to providing science-based nutritive additions of the very best quality available in the marketplace,” said Michael O.

Johnson, Herbalife chairperson and Head honcho .

In his latest position at FDA, Frankos served as director, division of diet supplements programs, CFSAN, directing and coordinating policy, budget, staff and executive activities. He suggested on policy and management issues on diet supplement programs, new diet ingredient safety assessments and related activities applying to diet additions. He’s accountable for full implementation of the DSHEA Act of 1994 to make sure the safety and honest labeling of diet additions and supported legislative compliance, enforcement and public affairs initiatives. During his tenure, Frankos released a last rule for diet supplement Good Producing Practice needs ( cGMPs ), and worked with FDA field offices to coordinate and evaluate inspections of over two thousand facilities.

He also led efforts on reporting major adversary events related to diet additions by implementing the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Buyer Protection Act. He used to be a big hitter in reviewing new diet ingredient notifications, overseeing function claim notifications and served as CFSAN’s lead scientist for diet additions and as a toxicology expert on the nation’s Toxicology Program ( NTP ) Toxicology Study Selection Review Committee. Before joining the FDA, Frankos was a principal with ENVIRON for over eighteen years, providing consultation on FDA and EPA product registration and the toxicological and pharmacological analysis of info used to appraise the risks posed by foods and food additives, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, insecticides, and environmental and occupational exposures. Frankos has presented on FDA policies on lots of occasions and has created countless papers on diet additions. He holds a Ph.D. In pharmacology and toxicology from College of Maryland Pharmacy School ; an M.S. In molecular biology and a B.A. In biology from University of Maryland.