As the US Food and Drug Administration’s patient-focused drug development initiative hits the 10-year mark, stakeholders are eyeing ways the program has evolved and additional changes they would like to see.
US Patient-Focused Drug Development Meetings Changing With The Times
Meetings are now primarily hosted by external patient advocacy groups, with accelerated approval and surrogate endpoints making their way into discussions. Stakeholders want more transparency on how FDA uses PFDD reports, and one agency staffer suggests adding other types of expertise to the meetings.

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Mass FDA layoffs on 1 April were designed to spare product reviewers, but still touched many who are critical to the application review process or drug development, which could mean fewer treatments are brought to the US market first.
Experts say PBMs should become familiar with transparency rules and prepare to release data, although more legal wrangling could occur.
Optum Rx, one of the largest PBMs in the US, declared it was the “first comprehensive, transparent pharmacy services company” after announcing several consumer-friendly changes.
FDA Commissioner Martin Makary was sworn in Friday and knew of the plan that ultimately lead to CBER director Peter Marks' resignation on 28 March.
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In his resignation letter, the CBER director said he was willing to work with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address concerns about vaccine safety, but "it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary."
A former CMS manager worries casework and other necessary functions could suffer as a result of the 300 staff cuts at the agency that are part of a massive HHS restructuring.
The April departures of Paul Kluetz and Marc Theoret follow resignations by other senior agency scientific staff and come on top of HHS’ plans to lay off 3,500 FDA employees.