FDA Policy/General

Public Rating of FDA, Others Dropping

Americans’ ratings of FDA and five other major agencies (FEMA, CIA, CDC, EPA, and IRS) “have deteriorated markedly since last year,” according to a new Gallup poll. The pollsters say the six agencies are at or near their lowest point in Gallup’s trend.

The report says the only agency that was measured both last year and this year and showed a significant improvement in public rating with the Department of Homeland Security.

The U.S. Postal Service is the only government agency to get a majority-level positive rating for its work. It is also the only agency that has not worsened among Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents since last year, Gallup says.

Reflecting the change in the White House, it says, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents now evaluate nearly all agencies more positively than they did in 2024.

The poll was taken 9/2-9/16, before the partial government shutdown that took effect 10/1.

Gallup reports that FDA’s rating dropped seven points to 27%. It reached a high of 46% in 2017 and has been essentially falling since then.

The pollsters say that partisanship “plays a central role in shaping views of government agencies.”

The findings on FDA and other health agencies are consistent with those reported in September from an Annenberg Public Policy Center survey measuring public confidence in federal health and science agencies.

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