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.

• Ryan Officially Enters Race for Speaker. This week Ways & Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R, WI) won support from three influential GOP blocs in the House and on Thursday officially entered the contest to become Speaker of the House. The Republican House conference is scheduled to vote on nominating a new Speaker on Wednesday, October 28, with a vote by the full House on Thursday, October 29. Republicans have been working to find a successor to replace current House Speaker John Boehner (R, OH), who said last month that he plans to step down on October 30. Congressman Ryan is widely expected to win the contest. Detailed analysis on the possible implications of a Ryan Speakership for the appropriations process and FDA funding is provided in this week's Analysis and Commentary.

• Senate Panel Hopes To Hold Hearing On FDA Commissioner Nominee Before Thanksgiving. The Senate HELP Committee is working to hold a confirmation hearing on Robert Califf, President Obama’s appointee for FDA Commissioner, before the Thanksgiving recess. The timeline for a possible confirmation hearing for Dr. Califf could be impacted by broader developments on the Senate floor, including a pledge this week from some Republicans to block approval of all Health and Human Services appointments until the department provides responses to their inquiries regarding the status of certain programs that are part of the Affordable Care Act.

• FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health Updates Regulatory Science Agenda. This week FDA’s CDRH released its top priorities for regulatory science in 2016. The priorities include reprocessing reusable medical devices, device cybersecurity, patient reported outcome measures, patient experience/preference and big data. To read the recently released CDRH regulatory science agenda please click here.

• Alliance Annual Membership Meeting, November 3. The Alliance’s annual membership meeting will be occurring on November 3 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Meeting details will be provided to members in the near-term.