June 20, 2025: NCHR and other non-profit organizations sent a letter to the director of the Office of Science Technology Policy urging them to uphold scientific integrity and explaining that opportunities to provide input will increase public trust in scientific decisions.
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NCHR Follow-up to DC Council Environmental Health Hazards Roundtable
May 19, 2025: NCHR submitted a letter for the hearing record for the D.C. Council roundtable about environmental and safety hazards in DC parks and playgrounds. Our letter provided the requested information in response to questions about whether artificial turf is recycled and shared additional information about research indicating the presence of heavy metals on rubber playground surfaces.
Read More »NCHR Testimony at D.C. Council Public Oversight Roundtable on Environmental and Safety Hazards on DPR Properties
May 05, 2025: NCHR’s Tess Robertson-Neel testified at a D.C. Council roundtable about environmental and safety hazards in DC parks and playgrounds. We highlighted concerns about heat-related injuries, other injuries and serious harms, and the presence of lead, PFAS and other harmful chemicals and metals in artificial turf and playground surfaces. Artificial turf and rubber playground surfaces have serious risks that can endanger children’s health. We urged the D.C. council to invest in safer, healthier alternatives.
Read More »Public Comment of National Center for Health Research Regarding Accelerated Approval and Considerations for Determining Whether a Confirmatory Trial is Underway
March 10, 2025: National Center for Health Research supports FDA’s decision to require that a confirmatory trial is “underway” before granting accelerated approval, but the definition of underway needs to be defined stringently and clearly. In our written public comment, we recommended setting specific benchmarks and stronger oversight to ensure timely trial completion so that patients and physicians can make informed medical decisions about products approved under the accelerated program. We also state that the closer to completion the confirmatory trial is at the time of accelerated approval, the more useful the research evidence is likely to be. We also urge that no exceptions be made to the requirement.
Read More »National Center for Health Research Public Comment on FDA Draft Guidance: Expedited Program for Serious Conditions—Accelerated Approval of Drugs and Biologics
February 4, 2025: In our written public comment, we urged FDA to improve its draft guidance on the accelerated approval process by requiring and enforcing timely confirmatory trials proving meaningful clinical benefit based on validated measures of overall survival and quality of life.
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