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 Comments on the Proposed Order Reclassification of Electroconvulsive Therapy Devices

March 28, 2016. Our review of the research indicates that ECT devices should remain as class III and should be subject to PMA review. The risks for patients associated with down classification of ECT devices for depression greatly outweigh any presumed benefit.

NCHR Flu Vaccine Testimony

March 4, 2016. We applaud the FDA and CDC for changing the recommendations for children, to reflect the poor efficacy of the live attenuated influenza vaccine (nasal spray). There is another problem however, that I want to talk about today. The CDC has strongly encouraged patients to use antiviral medications if they get the flu. However, the evidence shows how little benefit Tamiflu offers, as well as significant risks for children.

NCHR Testimony at 2016 FDA Workshop on Point of Care Devices for Monitoring Warfarin Therapy

March 18, 2016. Point of care PT/INR devices represent an increasingly important part of the healthcare landscape. Transparent and robust design, performance studies, and clear data supporting safety and effectiveness are required to avoid device problems that could have wide-reaching consequences for patients and public health. The only way to gather such data is through a rigorous PMA process.

Patient, Consumer, and Public Health Coalition Senate Briefing: Innovation for Healthier Americans

March 4, 2016. These are the materials from the Senate briefing we hosted on March 4, 2016 with the Patient, Consumer, and Public Health Coalition titled “Innovation for Healthier Americans: The Impact of Proposed Health Bills on Patients & Consumers”.

Letter to HELP Committee Re: Innovation Bills

March 5, 2016. This letter from the Patient, Consumer, and Public Health Coalition expresses disappointment that these bills are so biased against the interests of nonprofit member organizations, who represent millions of patients, consumers, scientists, and public health researchers and advocates.