FDA and Speed of New Cancer Drug Approvals

According to a new article in Health Affairs, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) did a better job than its European counterpart in reviewing and approving new drugs for cancer therapy between 2003 and 2010.The full text of an article by members of staff of Friends of Cancer Research, entitled "Despite criticism of the FDA review process, new cancer drugs reach patients sooner in the United States than in Europe," appears in the June issue of Health Affairs.Of particular relevance to the mission of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA is that the authors conclude their article with the following clear message:

... continued financial support, in the form of user fees and increased appropriations, will be crucial for the agency to keep pace with current scientific discovery — and to maintain and enhance the agency’s critical role of bringing new medicines from the stages of discovery into the clinic and ultimately improving the lives of patients.

Friends of Cancer Research is a member of the Alliance.