User Fee Reauthorization Talks Continue

Congressional negotiators are continuing to work on legislation to reauthorize FDA user fees. A Politico online newsletter reports that the Democratic and Republican leadership in the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate HELP Committee had aimed to reach a deal on 9/12, but talks have been extended to 9/15, according to sources speaking anonymously to Politico.

Industry lobbyists and congressional aides say major provisions to overhaul the regulation of dietary supplements, cosmetics, and diagnostic tests will likely drop out of the final package and instead be included in an end-of-year omnibus government funding package. The strategic move would be intended to buy more time for negotiations.

However, observers cautioned that the situation remains fluid and say that HELP Committee chair Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) is still pushing the other three parties to include the major changes in the user fee bill.