Archive for the ‘Planning for FDA’s Future’ Category
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010
Not so long ago, FDA’s appropriation barely budged from year-to-year. A good year was a 2% to 3% increase. This changed four years ago, after the formation of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA. The agency’s case for more resources—always a good one—finally had an independent, multi-stakeholder voice. Champions on the Hill and in the Executive Branch emerged.
The agency appropriation has grown 50% in the last three fiscal years. So far, FY 11 looks more like the past than it does the last few years. FDA Matters believes that the consequences could be severe. (more…)
Posted in FDA and Congress, FDA Appropriations, Planning for FDA's Future | No Comments »
Sunday, September 12th, 2010
Bravo! Florida Pastor Terry Jones has decided not to burn a copy of the Quran. The next danger is that the Pastor’s “success” will be seen narrowly as the unique confluence of 9/11, the Ground Zero mosque, and the readiness of millions to take to the streets at signs of American intolerance toward Muslims.
FDA Matters thinks the lessons are larger and urges FDA to pay attention to how this reflects changes in the way crises develop and decisions are made. (more…)
Posted in Drug Approval and Access, FDA Leadership, Planning for FDA's Future | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
May 18 marked one year since Dr. Margaret Hamburg was sworn in as Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. The challenges are great, the torrent of issues is never-ending and most days you can smile but you can’t win. Nonetheless, I think it has been a very good first year for her and for Principal Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein.
It may seem premature to be discussing “the Hamburg legacy.” But you know that she is thinking about it (all commissioners do), so why can’t FDA Matters talk about it? (more…)
Posted in FDA and Congress, FDA and Industry, FDA Appropriations, FDA Leadership, Planning for FDA's Future | No Comments »
Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
FDA Matters is in favor of safe foods and safe medical products. Who isn’t? If you are a consumer, maybe that’s all that matters.
However, being in favor of safe foods and safe medical products is not enough if you are FDA, the media, Congressional authorizers and appropriators, OMB, and industry. It sounds good, but what does it really mean? In the FDA context, “safe” means many things, some of which are barely related to each other. (more…)
Posted in FDA and Industry, FDA Leadership, Food Issues, Planning for FDA's Future | 2 Comments »
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
There is an emerging crisis in the development of drugs, biologics and complex new medical devices. Clinical trials take too long, cost too much and often produce imperfect knowledge. Many promising medical products are not developed because of the difficulty and expense of proving safety and efficacy—a loss that is costly to society.
FDA Matters believes that the key lies in developing new approaches to generating rigorous data and analysis. Ultimately, this will require the re-invention of the clinical trial. (more…)
Posted in Drug Approval and Access, FDA and Industry, Insight on FDA-regulated Industries, Planning for FDA's Future | 1 Comment »
Sunday, April 4th, 2010
FDA Matters has grown steadily since I started it less than a year ago. My inaugural column was about the goals of the blog, but I have not written on the topic since or about my background and viewpoint.
I started the blog because of my frustration about how FDA was being described and analyzed during the period from Election Day to Dr. Hamburg’s confirmation. In particular, I spent a month telling colleagues: it is not true that there is going to be a power-sharing arrangement where Dr. Hamburg will concentrate on foods, while Dr. Sharfstein will concentrate on drugs and devices. (more…)
Posted in About FDA Matters, FDA Leadership, Planning for FDA's Future | No Comments »
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
The long fight is over for follow-on biologic (FOBs). The Senate-passed version of health reform will become law, even while the larger fight continues over the reconciliation package. Within 10 days, FDA will be busy implementing an approval pathway for FOBs.
The world of biopharmaceuticals will never be the same, but not in the ways that many players expect. Here is FDA Matters’ guide to understanding the next phase. (more…)
Posted in FDA and Congress, FDA and Industry, Insight on FDA-regulated Industries, Planning for FDA's Future | 1 Comment »
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
The President’s proposal to freeze domestic discretionary programs in FY 2011 (and beyond) will force painful cuts across government and in programs that millions of American rely upon. Even some traditionally-favored agencies, such as NIH, are looking at only small increases. With a proposed 6% increase (about $150 million), FDA would seem to be doing far better than most.
FDA Matters feels strongly that this is not nearly enough. By my calculations, at least a $250 million increase for FDA would be needed, just to achieve the program levels anticipated in the President’s budget request. The Alliance for a Stronger FDA has asked for a $495 million increase, which could be put to good use by the agency. Why is 6% not enough? (more…)
Posted in FDA and Congress, FDA Appropriations, Planning for FDA's Future | No Comments »
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