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’s Comments on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Technical Brief on Strategies for Patient, Family, and Caregiver Engagement

March 2, 2020. While we commend the Technical Brief’s aim to outline the currently available evidence on patient and family engagement strategies for managing chronic conditions, we have several suggestions.

NCHR Comments on FDA’s OMHHE Strategic Priorities

February 28, 2020. Efforts to improve inclusion of racial and ethnic minority populations in clinical trials need to include incentives that are more effective than merely asking companies to do so. Greater diversity would, in turn, improve the generalizability of clinical trial results and provide patients and health care professionals with the information necessary to make an informed decision about which products to use for which patients.

NCHR’s Testimony to FDA on TOOKAD to Treat Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

February 26, 2020. The long-term complications of TOOKAD to treat low-risk prostate cancer are unclear. We believe that better research needs to be completed before approval, especially because the sponsor did not comply with FDA’s recommendations for the study.

National Center for Health Research’s Public Comments on CPSC Forum on Crib Bumpers

February 25, 2020. Crib bumpers have no health or safety benefit and pose serious and significant risks. The National Center for Health Research urges CPSC to ban all crib bumpers.

NCHR’s Comments on FDA’s Notice on the Modified Risk Tobacco Product Applications for IQOS System With Marlboro Heatsticks

February 24, 2020. We oppose the modified labeling of Marlboro Heatsticks. This change may lead non-smokers, particularly adolescents, to begin using tobacco products.