October 8, 2020: The drug should be labeled with an accurate description of its properties, not “abuse deterrent,” so that patients, family members, and healthcare providers do not erroneously assume the drug is less addictive.
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 Hearing Loss Screening in Older Adults
October 5, 2020: The National Center for Health Research agrees with the United States Preventive
Services Task Force’s conclusion that there is insufficient evidence of the benefits or harms of
screening asymptomatic adults aged 50 and older.
NCHR Public Comments on the AHRQ Draft Systematic Review of Cervical Ripening in the Outpatient Setting
September 28, 2020: We support the review’s examination of the relative risks and outcomes of cervical ripening in the outpatient compared to the inpatient setting. However, an overarching problem in the review is that it does not examine the role of patient-centered outcomes and satisfaction.
Read More »Open Letter to Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration: #ProtectTheFDA
In September 2020, medical and public health experts wrote to the FDA
Commissioner to express concern about political influence on FDA’s COVID-19 vaccine
decision-making, saying it could potentially compromise scientific integrity and public trust. The
open letter called on Commissioner Hahn to ensure vaccine approvals remain independent,
transparent, data-driven, and free from partisan pressure, urging actions like consulting with
other scientific bodies before issuing emergency authorizations.
NCHR’s Testimony to FDA Regarding Reclassification of 4 Medical Devices
September 8, 2020: NCHR’s Dr. Meg Seymour expressed concern about the lack of sufficient public
information available to evaluate the reclassification of four medical devices. Her testimony
emphasized that FDA executive summaries provide minimal details about study design, patient
demographics, and clinical endpoints, making it impossible to determine if the proposed special
controls would adequately mitigate risks.