FDA Weighs Patients' Risk Tolerance in Approving Obesity Device

The agency approved EnteroMedics’ Maestro neuromodulator to treat obesity despite the device not meeting endpoints in its pivotal trial. The agency relied in part on a survey that found obese patients willing to take more risks in exchange for weight loss.

FDA has approved EnteroMedics Inc.’s Maestro Rechargeable System, a pacemaker-like device used to help obese patients control hunger cravings.

In making the decision the agency took into consideration patients’ willingness to accept higher potential risk of the device which failed to meet its co-primary endpoints in a pivotal study....

More from United States

US FDA Cell-Gene Therapy Head Says Agency Has Revived Stalled Programs

 

CBER's Nicole Verdun wants rare disease sponsors with stalled treatments to circle back because the FDA's evolved thinking on clinical trial designs may offer another opportunity for cast away products.

FDA’s FY 2026 Budget Request Lacks New Policy Proposals

 
• By 

The White House requested $6.8bn for the FDA, down 3.9% from the current funding level, but does not propose any legislative changes. In previous years, the agency used the budget process to seek statutory fixes specific to generic drugs and shortages.

User Fee-Funded Staff Would Drop In FY 2026 US FDA Budget

 

The reductions across medical product programs in the agency’s budget request include hundreds of positions funded by user fees, which may foreshadow its upcoming user fee restructuring strategy.

Drug, Biologic Policy Staff Return To US FDA, As RIF Process Hangs In Legal Limbo

 

The FDA employees with reduction-in-force notice rescissions include some who work on user fee negotiations, but staff still subject to RIFs will not officially separate from the agency this week due to ongoing legal challenges.

More from North America