Washington Roundup, August 2012

The US FDA has given up on its effort to regulate lab-developed tests as medical devices, at least for now. The agency will not appeal a decision from the Eastern District of Texas that tossed out the FDA’s final rule, leaving the agency with few cards.

During MD&M East in Manhattan last week, a panel of experts discussed how the Trump administration’s trade policy is affecting manufacturing and offered some ideas on what manufacturers can do to help mitigate the chaos.

A battle may be forming over the 2027 FDA user fee reauthorizations. At a conference Friday, Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss supports them for their effectiveness, while Deputy FDA Commissioner Grace Graham echoed criticisms from HHS Sec. Kennedy, among others, in calling for reform to ensure public trust.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized administrative cost reductions and defended budget decisions during a Senate hearing on HHS funding. Some senators, however, expressed concerns over the impacts spending cuts had on essential health programs.