Advocacy at a Glance

Advocacy at a Glance offers you the bullet point summary of current advocacy issues associated with the goals of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA.

• FY 15 Appropriations Completed. Before sine die adjournment, Congress passed the “Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015,” closing the books on FY 15 appropriations, except for the Department of Homeland Security (funded through February 2015) and the possible need for additional emergency funding for natural disasters, Ebola or military operations. Under the bill, FDA will receive an appropriation of $2.597 billion and also an additional $25 million to fund the agency’s work combating Ebola.  The Alliance’s bill summary and perspective can be found here.

• 2014 Approvals of Drugs and Biologics Near Record Levels. Commissioner Hamburg has blogged about the 35 novel new drugs (new molecular entities and new therapeutic biologics) that FDA had approved between January 1 and December 10, 2014. A few more are possible before year’s end. She pointed to the large number of these drugs that provide significant and substantial clinical benefit, including drugs and biologics that have been first-in-class. In 2013, the agency approved only 27 novel new drugs.

• FY 16 Appropriations: What to Watch For. CQ did an excellent overview of appropriations for next year and “the five issues to watch for.”  On their list is: spending caps/sequester; debt limit; budget reconciliation; tax reform; and policy riders. In the last Analysis and Commentary of 2014, Alliance Deputy Executive Director Steven Grossman looks at the FY 16 appropriations process and the probability of a contentious and rocky 2015. It’s a must-read in planning for the next Congress.