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US FDA’s Breakneck Approval Pace Clashes With Advisory Committee Mandate

 
• By Michael McCaughan

FDA has approved more than 100 novel molecules in the past two years, almost all of them without an advisory committee stop. Is it time to revisit a 2007 law that was intended to assure a public vetting of NMEs prior to approval?

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US FDA has been pressing the "Skip AdComs" button on its drug reviews, leading to faster approvals for sponsors, but fewer opportunities to comment for outside stakeholders. • Source: Photo illustration by Jean Marie Smith

It is hard to find fault with the US Food & Drug Administration’s performance when it comes to new drug approvals.

The agency cleared 48 new molecular entities in 2019, a number that would be jaw-dropping but for the fact that...

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More from US FDA Performance Tracker

Precigen’s Papzimeous Approval Allows US FDA CBER Director To Emphasize Flexibility

 
• By Bridget Silverman

Returning FDA biologics center director Vinay Prasad used the Papzimeous approval announcement to reinforce his flexibility on rare disease therapies after several complete response letters and his brief departure from the agency.

August Brings Fresh Faces And Tough Calls To US FDA User Fee Calendar

 
• By Bridget Silverman

The FDA could act on 17 applications, including 10 novel agents, during August. Only one would be a second-cycle review.

Complete Response Letter Trio Raises Prospect Of Tidal Shift In Regenerative Medicine Regulation

 
• By Bridget Silverman

Replimune's RP1 oncolytic immunotherapy became the third regenerative medicine to receive an FDA complete response letter this month as the agency appears to re-visit previous agreements about accelerated approval.

US FDA’s Second Half 2025 User Fee Goals Swing Toward Respiratory Disease

 
• By Bridget Silverman

The 43 novel agents with user fee goal dates in the remainder of 2025 have fewer oncologics and infectious disease drugs than the first half of the year.

More from Regulatory Trackers

Complete Response Letter Trio Raises Prospect Of Tidal Shift In Regenerative Medicine Regulation

 
• By Bridget Silverman

Replimune's RP1 oncolytic immunotherapy became the third regenerative medicine to receive an FDA complete response letter this month as the agency appears to re-visit previous agreements about accelerated approval.

US FDA’s Second Half 2025 User Fee Goals Swing Toward Respiratory Disease

 
• By Bridget Silverman

The 43 novel agents with user fee goal dates in the remainder of 2025 have fewer oncologics and infectious disease drugs than the first half of the year.

Slowdown: US FDA’s 2025 Novel Approvals Are On Below-Average Pace

 
• By Bridget Silverman

US FDA's 25 novel approvals in 2025 fell short of the agency's five-year average count, driven by a drop in drugs center approvals; 45 user fee goals remain in second half of year.