Spotlight: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
This column—on the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)– is the first in a new series that puts a spotlight on causes and organizations that affect FDA and the FDA stakeholder community. Because ARPA-H frequently funds complex programs, including first-of-its-kind technologies, ARPA-H and FDA often work closely from the very beginning of the research lifecycle.
My guest today is Max Bronstein, CEO/Founder of Aviva Strategies, who was part of the launch of ARPA-H while at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). In January, he created “ARPA-H GO,” a broad-based group of patient and research advocates, academia, and companies to work for increased resources for the agency.
FDA Matters provides short-form analysis of FDA policy and regulatory issues. We know you are busy, so we publish 1 to 2 columns per week, each a 3-5 minute read.
FDA Matters does not report the news….we provide analysis of what’s behind the news.
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Squaring the Circle: The Seemingly Impossible Task of Fixing the US Food Supply
There are so many interlocking and competing interests in food that it is hard to reach agreement on goals, let alone a plan for a future food system that is more coherent, effective, and better suited to each of our individual needs, desires, and situations….
RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Stance Infiltrated FDA. Trump Is Reining It In.
This week’s FDA Matters column is entitled: “RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Stance Infiltrated FDA. Trump Is Reining It In.” It was published in MedPage Today at https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/120041?trw=no. They subtitled the article:…
Short Takes and Updates—February 20, 2026
This week, we cover: FDA’s new “one pivotal trial” policy NIH Director, Dr. Bhattacharya’s appointment to be acting Director of CDC An activist HHS Secretary is a new thing. FDA’s New “One Pivotal Trial” Policy For many years, FDA’s policy has been “two studies are…
Business As Usual at FDA? In 2026, It May Depend On Where You Look
A cornerstone of my predictions for 2026 (here) was that: anything that touches upon public health (especially vaccines) or diet and nutrition was likely to have a particularly difficult and unpredictable year, and food and medical product safety programs and product…
Short Takes and Updates February 6, 2026
FDA Matters doesn’t cover the news….we provide analysis of what’s behind the news. This week, we cover: drug ads at the Super Bowl and whether FDA will intervene against mass compounding of FDA-approved medicines; how prediction markets may affect FDA; and how AI can…
Flood the Zone, Year 2: Predictions for 2026
For most of us, 2025 was a revelation. Things that we thought impossible (for example, abolishing federal employee unions) proved remarkably easy to do by fiat. Little or no deference was granted to rules and procedures that we all imagined would stand in the…