July 6, 2026: In response to a request for public comments, NCHR wrote to the FDA strongly supporting the continuation of the National Youth Tobacco Survey for 2027-2029. NCHR emphasized that NYTS is essential for tracking youth tobacco and nicotine use, including e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and other emerging products, and for understanding whether new products contribute to combustible cigarette use, dual use, or sustained nicotine addiction. The survey provides critical data to guide prevention, enforcement, education, and evidence-based tobacco control policies that can be used to reduce addiction and dangerous heath habits by children and adolescents.
Read More »We’re Speaking Out on Health Issues
NCHR scientists and health policy experts provide written and oral statements on a wide range of topics.
Here are many of the ways we have been Speaking Out on Health Policy Issues for the last few years. Whether the topic is legislation intended to cure diseases, proposed bans on BPA or other chemicals that disrupt your hormones, the importance of including women, people of color, and patients over 65 in clinical trials, or many other topics, you’ll gain a better understanding of our evidence-based analyses by reading these letters, statements, and testimony.
Here are the ways we have been Speaking out on Medical Treatments and Products, such as prescription drugs and medical devices that the FDA is considering approving, or is considering taking off the market because of serious risks. Whether the topic is Chantix, Addyi, Yaz, Essure, or medical products you’ve never heard of, you can find out more about what is known and not known about the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of products by looking through this section of our website.
NCHR Written Comment to OMB on the Proposed Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance
July 13, 2026: In response to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) request for public comments, NCHR urged the OMB to withdraw its proposed federal financial assistance rule, warning that it would politicize grant decisions; undermine scientific merit, peer review, research accomplishments, medical care, and public health; and threaten patient care, public trust, and evidence-based policymaking.
Read More »NCHR Written Comment to FDA on the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) Pilot Program
June 29, 2026: In response to the FDA’s request for public comments, NCHR urged the FDA to discontinue or substantially revise the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher Pilot Program because it is duplicative of existing expedited review pathways and includes inappropriate selection criteria. NCHR emphasized that the program raises serious concerns about bias, political influence, scientific rigor, and transparency; and that the FDA lacks the staff and resources to adequately support CNVP and other programs that require evidence of safety, effectiveness, and sound science.
Read More »NCHR Written Comment to NIH on Post-Trial Needs and Informed Consent for Research Participants Receiving Investigational Implantable Devices
May 22, 2026, NCHR submitted comments to NIH on their draft of resources needed for investigational implantable device trials, emphasizing the need for better planning to make sure that patients understand the medical and financial risks of having an experimental implant that may be found to be neither safe nor effective. Patients volunteering for clinical trials of implanted devices deserve to know the risks and be protected from long-term device-related risks and medical care.
Read More »Testimony of Dr. Diana Zuckerman at the FDA Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee on TRUQAP
FDA Oncology Advisory Committee on TRUQAP, April 30, 2026: NCHR president Dr. Diana Zuckerman expressed her concerns about the serious risks and uncertain benefits of TRUQAP given that there is no evidence that it improves overall survival
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