December 3, 2025: Diana Zuckerman urges FDA Advisory Devices Panel to require more research on Ventura shunt to make sure it is more effective than sham control placebo group. She points out the well-designed study did not meet primary endpoint to improve cardiac results for patients.
Read More »On Medical Treatments & Products
Testimony of Dr. Diana Zuckerman at the FDA Advisory Committee On Digital Health
NCHR’s Dr. Diana Zuckerman testified at the FDA Advisory Committee meeting on Digital mental health products, expressing concerns about FDA’s failure to regulate the Chatbots and other digital products being marketed as “licensed therapists” and used as psychotherapists in ways that can be extremely harmful. She urged better research but acknowledged difficulty of studying devices that are updated frequently
Read More »NCHR Comments on Development of Non-Opioid Analgesics for Chronic Pain
National Center for Health Research submitted a written public comment to the FDA docket that advised the agency on the kinds of research needed to ensure that non-opioid pain medications are safe and effective for chronic pain and patients can make informed choices. We point out that it would be unethical to conduct studies that compare these products to opioids in clinical trials.
Read More »Are Playgrounds In Your Community Safe?
The Well News, October 28, 2025: This oped by Dr. Diana Zuckerman explains why PIP and other rubber playground and play surfaces for young children can cause obesity, early puberty, asthma, learning problems, and eventually cancer because they contain PFAS, other hormone-disrupting chemicals, and lead. She explains why claims that these materials are proven safe are inaccurate, and that most of the chemicals in these products are not publicly reported or tested. Children can be exposed day after day and year after year, and very young children get the residue on their hands and may put pieces of the recycled rubber tire crumb in their mouths, ears, and noses. Engineered wood fiber is the safe, ADA compliant alternative.
Read More »NCHR Comments on Coverage of Colorectal Cancer Non-Invasive Biomarker Screening Tests
NCHR public comment tells CMS that the ColoSense multi-target mRNA stool-based colorectal cancer screening test needs better evidence to qualify for Medicare NCD coverage. The study sample included 3x the average number of smokers in the U.S. and since smoking increases the chances of colon cancer, that may have biased the results to make the test seem more accurate than it really is. Too many false positives or false negatives would make the test much less useful for patients.
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