• where experts go to learn about FDA
  • Year: 2009

    • With or Without FSEA, FDA Will Establish Standards to Prevent Microbial Hazards in Fresh ProduceAugust 11th, 2009

      By Jamie K. Wolszon & Ricardo Carvajal – FDA has published three draft guidances that instruct growers, packers, processors, transporters, retailers and others on the prevention of microbial hazards in tomatoes, melons, and leafy greens.  According to FDA’s press release, Dr. Hamburg stated that the …

    • FDA Law Blog Welcomes Scott Hensley Back to the BlogosphereAugust 10th, 2009

      FDA Law Blog welcomes back to the blogosphere our friend Scott Hensley, formerly of the Wall Street Journal (where he was the founding editor and a regular contributor to the paper’s Health Blog).  Scott will be blogging at the National Public Radio Health Blog and …

    • New FDA Commish Brandishes Big Stick, Offers CarrotAugust 6th, 2009

      By Douglas B. Farquhar – In an August 6, 2009 speech at an event sponsored by the Food and Drug Law Institute, Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., the new FDA Commissioner, promised to ratchet up enforcement by speeding up issuance of Warning Letters, reducing the amount of time that …

    • FDA Sued After Denying PDUFA User Fee Small Business WaiverAugust 5th, 2009

      By Kurt R. Karst & Michelle L. Butler –       Winston Laboratories, Inc. (“Winston”) recently sued FDA after the Agency denied a waiver of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) application fee assessed with respect to the company’s human drug application (NDA No. 22-403) for …

    • FDA Sets Fiscal Year 2010 Drug and Device User Fees; Rate Increases for Most FeesAugust 4th, 2009

      By Kurt R. Karst –       Earlier this week FDA issued several Federal Register notices setting the Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2010 user fee rates for human drugs under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”), for medical devices under the Medical Device User Fee and Modernization …

    • Discounts on Drugs Covered By Government Programs Would Multiply Under Energy and Commerce Healthcare Reform BillAugust 3rd, 2009

      By Alan M. Kirschenbaum – As we reported on August 2, the House Energy and Commerce Committee last Friday reported out its healthcare reform bill, the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200).  In order to help finance healthcare reform, the bill contains numerous provisions that …

    • FDA Prevails in Generic COZAAR/HYZAAR 180-Day Exclusivity Forfeiture LitigationAugust 3rd, 2009

      By Kurt R. Karst –       Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in a 27-page opinion issued last Friday that the 180-day exclusivity forfeiture patent information withdrawal provision at FDC Act § 505(j)(5)(D)(i)(I)(bb)(CC) is not ambiguous and …

    • House Energy & Commerce Committee Reports Health Care Reform Bill with FOB and “Pay-for-Delay” ProvisionsAugust 2nd, 2009

      By Kurt R. Karst –       Last Friday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee favorably reported its version of “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act” (H.R. 3200) by a 31-28 vote after adopting several amendments.  A copy of the bill and amendments are available here.  Importantly, the …

    • Senate Committee Asks: CME – Higher Learning or Higher Earning?August 2nd, 2009

      By Carrie S. Martin – Last Wednesday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing to discuss the conflicts of interest presented by the funding of continuing medical education (“CME”) by pharmaceutical and medical device companies.  Lewis Morris, Chief Counsel to the Office of …

    • Anne Northrup to be Nominated as CPSC CommissionerJuly 31st, 2009

      Yesterday, President Obama announced that he intends to nominate Anne Northrup as a Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  Anne Northrup was a Congresswoman from Kentucky from 1997-2006.  As we previously reported, earlier this month, Inez Moore Tenenbaum was sworn in as the ninth …

    • House Passes Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009July 30th, 2009

      By Ricardo Carvajal – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, which would substantially strengthen FDA’s regulatory authority over foods.  The bill would grant FDA mandatory recall authority, expanded access to records, stronger seizure and administrative detention authorities, …

    • FTC Extends Deadline for Red Flags RuleJuly 29th, 2009

      By William T. Koustas –       Today, the FTC announced that it is delaying enforcement of the controversial Red Flags Rule (“the Rule”) until November 1, 2009.  The FTC press release states that it is extending the August 1, 2009 deadline, previously discussed in this blog, …

    • False Advertising Claim under Lanham Act Not Precluded or Barred by the FDC ActJuly 28th, 2009

      By Cassandra A. Soltis – In Pom Wonderful LLC v. Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., 2009 WL 2151355 (C.D. Cal. 2009), the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California determined that Pom Wonderful LLC’s (Pom’s) false advertising claim against Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. (Ocean …

    • FDA Finalizes Authorized Generics Reporting Rule; Electronic Submissions Will be Permitted and Eventually RequiredJuly 27th, 2009

      By Kurt R. Karst –       On July 28, 2009, FDA will publish a final rule amending the Agency’s regulations requiring that NDA holders submit in annual reports certain information to the Agency concerning authorized generics.  The regulations, which were first proposed in September 2008 – …

    • So What Does “Reasonable Probability of Serious Adverse Health Consequences or Death” Really Mean?July 24th, 2009

      By Ricardo Carvajal –       On July 23, FDA held the first of three public workshops to explain the Reportable Food Registry requirements that will take effect on September 8, 2009.  One thing was made clear: the agency has no plans to offer a definition of …