FDA to Establish Patient Advisory Committee on Medical Devices

Star Tribune, September 19, 2015. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced the establishment of its first-ever patient advisory committee on medical devices. The committee, according to the FDA, is designed to inject a patient perspective into the agency’s deliberations on device development, approval and monitoring.

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Califf Nomination for FDA Chief Gets Mostly High Marks

Medpage Today, September 16, 2015. The nomination of Robert Califf, MD, as FDA commissioner is getting good reviews from most health policy and cardiology experts. One area that might cause controversy with Califf’s nomination is his ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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Psst! Industry Has Taken Over FDA

Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry, September 17, 2015. By nominating cardiologist Robert M. Califf to be FDA’s next commissioner, the Obama Administration has taken a giant step away from the agency’s traditional avoidance of even the suspicion of coziness with the industries it regulates.

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Obama Picks Duke Physician to Head FDA

CQ Roll Call, September 15, 2015. President Obama will nominate Robert Califf to be the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, the White House announced Tuesday. Califf has served as the agency’s deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco since January. In that role, he oversees the agency’s divisions responsible for tobacco, drugs, medical devices and biological treatments, areas where the FDA is currently drafting new policies and regulations.

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Michael Milken, from Junk Bonds to Legislative Advocate

Boston Globe, September 14, 2015. Not everyone is pleased with Milken’s behind-the-scenes advocacy. While supporters say the Cures Act, a version of which was passed by the House in July, would make it cheaper and faster to get cutting-edge drugs and medical devices to patients, critics warn that it would create dangerous regulatory shortcuts.

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