Medtech In Politics: A Look At Republican And Democratic Party Platforms

04 Aug 2016

• By Sue Darcey

The Republican presidential platform bashes the US FDA for "chilling and killing" development of new devices, pledging to restore the agency as a leader in medical innovation, while the Democratic Party platform focuses on supporting public health options, including higher funding levels to fight the Zika virus. The two platforms also diverge on tax and trade policy.

The Republican and Democratic presidential party platforms illustrate well-known stark differences between how the two parties view the US government's role in health-care protections, as well as varying approaches to corporate tax policy, among other issues. But the platforms, particularly on the Republican side, include even some more specific references to device policy issues.

The Republican platform was adopted last month at the party's convention where Donald Trump was nominated as the...