Elections

As South Korea's new president immediately gets to work on setting initial policies, essential drug supplies, R&D incentives and AI-driven digital healthcare are among the key topics in focus.

As South Korea gears up for a snap presidential election, its biopharma industry proposes key desired policies to candidates, most of whom have not laid out detailed plans of their own for the sector.

Analysts expect a limited impact on South Korean pharma from US tariffs, even if imposed at a later date. Meanwhile, the early June domestic presidential election is set to determine the direction of policies in the sector.

Analysts expect a limited impact on South Korean pharma from US tariffs, even if imposed at a later date. Meanwhile, the early June domestic presidential election is set to determine the direction of policies in the sector.

The Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) plan would make many FDA employees with 20 or more years of service eligible for retirement, potentially increasing senior staff departures as the agency develops more layoff plans.

Supplement industry trade groups and an attorney offer differing views of impact from layoffs imposed by White House’s “Department of Government Efficiency” reportedly numbering as many as 700. They agree layoffs, reported as some 700 across the agency with its food safety programs particularly hit, will affect FDA’s work, but not on whether it will be able to fulfill its responsibilities.

President Trump's Executive Order creating the commission names mental health and weight-loss drugs as treatments of concern. But it does not mention vaccines, which Kennedy has criticized.

Trade groups say they welcome working with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on expanding and improving consumer access to OTC drugs and dietary supplements. White House “Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative” limits filling federal agency vacancies.

The Trump transition so far has all the hallmarks of the tech industry’s favorite management slogan, but that might not work well for biopharma companies if the FDA is one of the agencies that gets broken.

Outreach by Kennedy and the Trump Administration appears to have quelled Sen. Cassidy’s fears about oversight of vaccine regulations and safety monitoring.

Outreach by Kennedy and the Trump Administration appears to have quelled Sen. Cassidy’s fears about oversight of vaccine regulations and safety monitoring.

“We've heard perhaps some kind of support for non-drug approaches to addressing a range of conditions,” says food and drug regulation attorney Jessica O’Connell. “For the first time in the nearly 80 years of HHS, we will have a secretary who actually sees our commodity is valuable and not just some nuisance they have to deal with,” says NPA CEO Daneil Fabricant.