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 FDA Notice of Allegations of Regulatory Misconduct Voluntarily Submitted to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health

August 9, 2023: NCHR supports FDA’s proposed online form for allegations of potential regulatory misconduct pertaining to medical devices. We recommended revisions to preserve anonymity and make the form easier to complete.

Patient, Consumer, and Public Health Coalition Letter to CMS and HHS Regarding the CMS Requirements for Alzheimer’s Treatment Registries

August 2, 2023: The coalition urged CMS that all data collected by any of the registries are made publicly available for research purposes, and available to the public.

NCHR Comments on FDA Guidance Regarding Decentralized Clinical Trials for Drugs, Biological Products, and Devices

August 1, 2023: We asked FDA and those conducting DCTs to recognize how they could inadvertently reduce the enrollment of diverse populations when relying on digital health technologies (DHTs). NCHR then provided strategies and considerations to FDA for implementing decentralized clinical trials, including those that use DHTs.

Testimony of Diana Zuckerman at the CMS Meeting Regarding Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies

August 1, 2023: Dr. Zuckerman urged CMS to uphold its standard for coverage based on evidence that medical products are proven reasonable and necessary for Medicare patients.

NCHR Public Comment on HHS Draft Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation

July 30, 2023: HHS released a draft framework to support and accelerate smoking cessation. NCHR provided a public comment with recommendations to improve the framework, with a focus on evaluating the impact of demographic differences on the safety and efficacy of different smoking cessation strategies.