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.

Here are our Statements and Positions on issues that affect you.

NCHR Testimony on Paclitaxel-Coated Balloons and Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents

June 20, 2019. We agree with the FDA and the Panel that the increased risk for death for patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons or –eluting stents, as shown in the meta-analysis of randomized pivotal trials, is very concerning. Any potential increase risk for death is important for health care professionals and patients to know about, so that they can make appropriate decisions about whether to use a product.

NCHR Testimony on Pretomanid for Tuberculosis

June 7, 2019. While new treatments are needed, it is impossible to accurately determine the risks or benefits of a new TB treatment without a randomized trial or a matched control group within the same trial. As clinicians and patients, you deserve to know the benefits and risks before deciding which treatments to use. This information is needed before approval, not years later.

NCHR Comment on Regulating Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning-Based Software

June 3, 2019. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based software device that incorporates special computer techniques (algorithms) capable of detecting relevant medical patterns from large amounts of data. These very sophisticated pattern recognition capabilities (AI/ML) have broad potential healthcare applications, including making recommendations to healthcare providers and patients about the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, or prevention of disease.1 The complexity, scalability, and broad scope of these new technologies thus raise important issues regarding their safety and effectiveness as it pertains to patients’ health.

NCRH Testimony on Reclassification of Collagen-Based Hemostatic Devices

May 31, 2019. The safety and effectiveness of new devices needs to be established before they are approved. Approval of products without this evidence puts patients at risk for unnecessary harm. Adequate and well-controlled clinical trials are the best way to establish that the benefits outweigh the risks for patients needing collagen-based hemostatic devices.

NCHR Comments on FDA’s Reclassification of Surgical Staplers

May 30, 2019. Thousands of adverse events associated with surgical staplers had been hidden from patients and physicians prior to the March 2019 Kaiser Health News expose. Such devices must be better regulated and monitored.