North America

Secretary Kennedy’s FDA Visit Included CDRH Stop, Speech Warning Of ‘Agency Capture’

 
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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged FDA staff to resist the “deep state” and “crony capitalism,” and focus on improving the health of America’s children. “You're not here to take orders,” he said and urged FDA staff to speak up if they see wrongdoing.

FDA Reverses Course, Allows Some Telework For Reviewers

 

The new telework policy returns to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic standard, but still requires reviewers to be at White Oak for sponsor meetings and divisions to have an in-office presence every day.

Medtech Looks For Relief As Trump Hits Pause On Most Tariffs

 
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The medtech industry hopes to use a 90-day pause on tariffs to negotiate a “zero for zero” exemption. However, recent public comments from President Donald Trump suggest the health care sector may still be at risk.

Biotech Leader Predicts Delays On Device Approvals As FDA Makes Life-Saving Drugs Sole Priority

 

Nawal Ouzren, Sensorion CEO and director, shared the latest industry reaction to US FDA layoffs at the McDermott Will & Emery European Health and Life Sciences Symposium in Paris.


CardioVia Secures FDA Clearance Epicardial Access Needle ViaOne

 

A concealed blunt-tip needle that can be inserted into the heart's pericardial space to treat cardiac arrhythmias has received FDA clearance, providing an alternative to catheter-based methods.

Shuren Expects Longer CDRH Review Times

 
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The FDA staff cuts will probably mean longer device review times at least in the short term, speakers said at a recent webinar. But innovations like AI and third-party review could offer some hope, even as tariffs create a new set of problems.

Draft FDA Reorganization Would Unite All Product Centers

 

Product reviews for drugs, biologics, devices, tobacco and foods could be consolidated into one office at the FDA, as part of a restructuring plan circulating that was obtained by Pink Sheet.

End Of The Road? Court LDT Decision May Leave FDA With Few Options

 

Now that a federal judge has ruled the US FDA exceeded its authority by unilaterally assuming regulatory oversight of lab-developed tests, what’s the agency’s next move? And does it really have one?


US Medtech Tariffs: How Will EU Navigate Unchartered Territory?

 

US President Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs that encompass medtech. These are expected to drive up costs, disrupt supply chains and hinder innovation, likely driving the EU to seek new trade partnerships to mitigate the impact.

Medtech Industry Faces Tariffs Despite Pleas for Exemption

 
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Medical devices, diagnostics, and equipment face tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, despite industry pleas for exemption. The tariffs, ranging from 10%-49%, impact most countries trading with the US, potentially hindering innovation and increasing costs in the medtech sector.

FDA Scrubs ‘Gender’ From Final Guidance On Sex-Specific Data But Encourages More Women In Clinical Trials

 

The US FDA has published its final document to guide sponsors on using sex-specific data in designing clinical trials of medical devices. However, the guidance removes all references to gender that appeared in January’s draft guidance, released before the Trump administration took office.

HHS Has ‘Utterly Failed,’ Kennedy Advisor Argues

 
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Calley Means defended reductions in force at the Health and Human Services Department that shocked and outraged federal workers and stakeholders.


Some Staff Say Makary’s First Speech To FDA Off-Target Despite Science Focus

 

Some employees were not impressed with FDA Commissioner Martin Makary's first speech to the agency staff, saying he did not seem to understand the agency's mission.

Swiss Blast US Import Tariffs As Medtechs Look For Dialog To Forestall Damage To Industry

 
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Swiss medtech exporters seek urgent diplomatic action from the Swiss Federal Council in a bid to overturn the 2 April US decision to put tariffs on goods imports.

Democrats Condemn Trump’s HHS Layoffs During House Hearing On OTC Drug User Fees

 

Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Democrats focus on criticizing HHS Secretary Kennedy’s RIF announcement, including 3,500 FDA jobs among cuts across HHS agencies. Representatives were left wondering if user fee programs would continue, even if reauthorized.

US Could Lose Its First Approver Advantage After FDA Layoffs

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.


Staff Cuts At CDRH Focus On Administrative Workers, Spare Reviewers

 

About 200 staff in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health were among the 3,500 FDA employees let go in today’s staff reductions. The cuts, which one employee described as a “Manhattan Project” to the center, are already having a major effect on staff morale.

Whitaker Wants Congress To Capitalize On ‘Golden Age Of Medical Innovation’

 

AdvaMed’s top priorities for the 119th Congress include modernizing US Medicare services and expanding patients’ access to the latest medical technologies.

Abbott’s TriClip Reduces Severity Of Tricuspid Regurgitation Two-Year Results Confirm

 

Abbott presented late-breaking data at the 2025 American College of Cardiology conference demonstrating that TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair offers prolonged patient benefits compared to medical treatment alone after two years, which were not evident at one year.

Exact Sciences Launches Cologuard Plus

 

The Cologuard Plus test has a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 94% for the detection of colorectal cancer; “unmatched accuracy,” according to Exact Sciences.