How Binding Are the FDA Guidance Documents? DOJ Says, Not Much

Earlier this year, the Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice (DOJ) instructed its staff to not initiate civil enforcement action against any party based on Guidance Documents, a decision that can have an enormous impact on the FDA regulated industry. There are 4220 Guidance Documents available on FDA’s web site; more than a … Read more

FDA Posts Full Clinical Study Report for NDA for Novel Products 

This week FDA posted a full clinical study report (CSR) included in an NDA approved last month for prostate cancer drug ERLEADA. In this new pilot transparency program FDA plans to similarly publish CSRs for eight more newly approved drugs aiming to provide more usable information about clinical trial design, statistical analysis, and other operational … Read more

Why Drug Price Control Proponents Should Thank Martin Shkreli

Martin Shkreli, the drug executive made infamous by his obnoxious and self-destructive behavior, got a seven year prison sentence last week. His sentence has nothing to do with the reason the country hates him, and that reason lives. He deserves the fate, many argue, but we need to thank him for exposing the ugly face … Read more

“Fake News” on Clinicaltrials.gov? Investigations Expose Loop Holes 

Two independent investigations by two unrelated non-profit groups show a significant number of errors on the information available on clinicaltrials.gov website regarding the status and results of the listed clinical trials. One investigation shows that about 40% of the trials that are reported to be completed and per the law should have reported their results … Read more

Federal Right-To-Try Law Gains Strength: Hope or False Hype

It seems that after about 5 years of attempts by supporters where Right-To-Try (RTT) laws were passed in about 40 states, the US Congress is getting ready to pass a Federal law that would, on paper, make experimental unproven drugs available to patients more easily. Even FDA, that has been a strong opponent of the … Read more

Lessons From A “War” Between A Compounding Pharmacy and FDA 

In an interesting development, a compounding pharmacy in Arkansas this week filed for a “Temporary Restraining Order” to prevent the FDA from shutting it down after an almost 5 years of back and forth with the FDA auditors and the company being on the verge of permanent closure by FDA. Before we run to judgment … Read more

FDA Amends GCP Guideline to Emphasize Quality Responsibilities

Today FDA released an addendum to ICH E6 (R2), the GCP Guidelines, to include several provisions for quality management responsibilities of the sponsors of clinical trials. These additional requirements apply to any trials conducted under an IND or IDE and used to support a US market approval application. Some important additions include a whole section … Read more

FDA’s Modernized Review Process: Improved Guidance Documents 

Last week FDA announced that it is modernizing multiple aspects of its review processes in an effort to make quick decisions, work collaboratively with sponsors and take patient perspectives into consideration for clinical trial design and market approval decisions. To provide examples of its new approach FDA released five new Guidance Documents for neurological disorders … Read more

FDA Explains the Pre-RFD Process for Combination Product Designation

Sponsors looking to get semi-formal advice from FDA regarding which laws apply to their product; drug, device or biologic, got some help from FDA last week with the release of a new guidance about the pre-request for designation (pre-RFD) process. The RFD process that has been in existence for 15 years is run by the … Read more

FDA Expects GCP Compliance from all Medical Device Trials

This week FDA finalized a rule originally proposed exactly five years ago to the date that makes it mandatory for all clinical trials conducted with new medical devices to be compliant with GCP rules similar to those for drugs and biologics. Although the notification refers to non-US clinical trials, but the details of the rule … Read more