FDA Policy/General

Durbin, Grassley Push Drug Ad Transparency Bill

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) asked the Senate on 11/28 for unanimous consent to pass their bipartisan Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act that would require list price disclosures in ads for prescription drugs. A statement from Durbin says Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) objected to the unanimous consent request.

In his statement, Durbin said pharmaceutical manufacturers spend more than $6 billion on drug ads, equal to FDA’s total budget. “Senator Grassley and I think it’s time for Big Pharma to end the secrecy about the real cost of these drugs,” he said. “If they’re advertising a drug, they should disclose the price up front. It is a basic transparency measure for patients.”

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome