January 17, 2023: The presence of lead in aircraft engines has a significant, negative effect on public health, and we enthusiastically agree with the proposed EPA finding in support of these conclusions. These findings should be finalized as soon as possible to give EPA the authority to set aircraft emission standards for lead under section 231 of the Clean Air Act.
Read More »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 Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Proposed Ruling of Safety Standards for Adult Portable Bed Rails
January 9, 2023: NCHR strongly agrees with CPSC’s proposed ruling that APBR has an “unreasonable risk of injury and death associated with entrapment hazards” and enthusiastically supports CPSC’s plan to make the voluntary safety standards mandatory, include new requirements for testing and labeling, and consider banning the products if the new standards do not substantially improve their safety. It is important to consider alternatives to APBR’s if it becomes necessary to ban them, and alternatives can be bed trapezes, adjustable beds, nonslip mattress pads, and bed exit alarms.
Read More »Patient, Consumer, and Public Health Coalition Letter to CMS on Lecanemab Approval
January 6, 2023: We applaud your National Coverage Determination that made the wise decision to limit coverage of this class of drugs solely to patients participating in clinical trials following the approval of aducanamab (Aduhelm) by the FDA. The FDA approved Biogen and Eisai’s lecanemab today, and we urge you to hold firm to your decision to prioritize patient safety and the scientific credibility of CMS’s coverage decisions.
Read More »NCHR Comment on FDA Proposed Rule on the Protection of Human Subjects and Institutional Review Boards(IRB)
December 28, 2022: NCHR public comments on FDA’s proposed rule supports a single IRB for all U.S. centers in multi-center clinical trials and greater diversity among IRB members. We urge the FDA to require more explicit improvements to address known weaknesses in oral and written informed consent procedures and address demographic differences in efficacy and safety of treatments studied clinical trials.
Read More »NCHR Comments on EPA’s Draft for Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
December 27, 2022: NCHR public comments on EPA’s proposed draft supports the need for recordkeeping and reporting as they are vital steps toward managing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, there are accountability loopholes identified in this proposed draft that could allow manufacturers to take advantage of the system, ie. making it optional to register an unknown chemical with a CASRN or other identifier and not required. It is for reasons like this that we believe the draft does not go far enough.
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