Alliance Unveils New Website: www.strengthenfda.org
Top-Line:
Alliance Unveils New Website: www.strengthenfda.org
Commissioner Califf Testifies Again on Infant Formula
User Fee Legislation Adopted by House Energy and Commerce Committee
Alliance Has More Hill Visits Planned in June; Seeking Sign-Ups
FDA Leaders Discuss FY 23 Budget Priorities and Other Alliance Webinars.
This week’s Analysis and Commentary provides highlights from the Alliance’s testimony submitted today to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies.
Alliance Unveils New Website: www.strengthenfda.org. In addition to our advocacy on behalf of FDA’s funding needs, the Alliance is a leader in educating policymakers, media, and the public about FDA’s mission and responsibilities. We have revamped and relaunched the Alliance’s new website (www.strengthenfda.org) to serve both purposes.
Among other things, the site contains: current and back issues of Friday Update; information and budget materials for the FY23 funding cycle; access to material from the Alliance’s 17 webinars since April 2021, including transcripts for many of them; and information about the Alliance’s goals, leadership, and membership. We are also building a set of links to information on the FDA website that respond to questions that the Alliance is often asked.
The new site is content-rich and our goal, over time, is to make it even more useful. Please let us know if you have ideas about content related to FDA’s funding, mission, and responsibilities that you think would be valuable to Alliance members, policymakers, media, FDA stakeholders, and the public.
Commissioner Califf Testifies Again on Infant Formula Issues. Last week, Commissioner Califf testified before the House Appropriations Committee on the Administration’s FY23 budget request [See last week’s Advocacy section and summary]. He was asked a number of questions about the shortage of infant formula.
This week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing (here) on infant formula and Dr. Califf testified. This is likely to be an issue at subsequent hearings in both the House and Senate.
User Fee Legislation Adopted by House Energy and Commerce Committee. This past week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted H.R. 7667, the “Food and Drug Amendments of 2022,” amended, by a roll call vote of 55 – 0 (Roll call no. 119). There is no indication yet as to when the full House will take up the bill. In the Senate, a discussion draft has been circulated and legislation is expected to move forward soon.
While the user fee programs expire on September 30, 2022, it is imperative that legislation reach the President’s desk by August 1. Otherwise, lay-off notices could be sent to thousands of FDA employees whose work is supported by expiring user fee programs. No amount of assurances calms people who receive RIF notices. It is bad for morale, recruitment, and retention.
Alliance Has More Hill Visits Planned in June; Seeking Sign-Ups. The Alliance conducted more than 50 Hill visits during March and April. We expect to do more in June. If you would like to be on our priority list to participate in these future Alliance Hill meetings, please contact Elisa Bayoumi.
FDA Leaders Discuss FY 23 Budget Priorities and Other Alliance Webinars. Altogether, the Alliance has held eight webinars, including an exclusive series with FDA leaders discussing their FY 23 budget priorities. We have audio, summaries and, in most cases, transcripts of these webinars. For more information, go to https://www.strengthenfda.org/events.
