Food and Drug Administration

On June 28, 2023, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act No. 23-97, “An Act Concerning Health and Wellness for Connecticut Residents.”  The Act includes a wide range of provisions aimed at supporting health care workforce development and improving access to health care. Some of the provisions of the Act are summarized below.Continue Reading Connecticut Adds Requirements for Opioid Prescribing and Expands Provider Licensure and Credentialing Avenues

On April 2, 2019, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement and announced a public hearing on consumer products derived from cannabis and its components, including cannabidiol (CBD). Recognizing the need to provide clarity on the authority of FDA to regulate these products, and what pathways are available for marketing them, the

On November 30, 2018, the Solicitor General of the United States filed a long-awaited amicus brief in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s request for the government’s view of the False Claims Act (FCA) case U.S. ex rel. Campie v. Gilead Sciences, Inc. (see here for previous analysis of the Ninth Circuit decision in the case, and here for discussion of the Supreme Court’s request).

In its brief, the Solicitor General states that the conclusion of the Ninth Circuit – that “the fact of continued government payments did not by itself require dismissal of [the relator’s FCA] claims at the pleading stage” – was “correct and consistent with decisions issued by other circuits in comparable circumstances” and as a result no further review is warranted. The Solicitor General’s brief appears to advocate for a more narrow reading of the Ninth Circuit decision than many commenters have undertaken, explaining that “the relevance of a governmental payment decision turns on whether the government had ‘actual knowledge’ of violations at the time of payment” but in this case it is disputed what the government knew about alleged violations and when it learned about such violations.
Continue Reading In Amicus Brief, Government Discourages Supreme Court Review of Pro-Relator Ninth Circuit FCA Decision, but Pledges to Seek Dismissal of Case Upon Remand

On March 21, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published two guidance documents addressing postmarketing safety reporting requirements (PMSR) for combination products.  The FDA had previously issued a Final Rule on PMSR for combination products on December 20, 2016 (PMSR Final Rule).

By way of background, combination products are therapeutic and diagnostic products that combine drugs, devices, and/or biological products. Because PMSR regulations for medical products in different categories are individualized (for example, PMSR are different for drugs than they are for medical devices and biological products), the two new guidance documents clarify the PMSR requirements that apply when a product is comprised of multiple medical categories. According to the FDA, these documents were issued in an effort to further interpret the Final Rule by ensuring consistent and complete reporting while simultaneously avoiding duplication in reports.
Continue Reading FDA Provides Guidance on Postmarketing Safety Reporting for Combination Products

On February 21, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a Final Rule, amending its regulations on acceptance of data from investigations for medical devices that are performed outside of the United States as well as modifying certain regulations applicable to data from US-sited investigations. The Final Rule does not go into effect until February 21, 2019 – a full year after promulgation.  The FDA also issued guidance in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) addressing the new regulations.  In the FAQ document, the FDA explained its rationale that more research and marketing applications and submissions are being submitted that are supported by foreign investigations and that it was seeking to make its requirements more uniform.
Continue Reading FDA Amends Regulations for Acceptance of Data from Foreign and Domestic Investigation for Medical Devices

In January 2018, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) published two guidance documents on Compounded Drug Products That Are Essentially Copies Of Approved Drug Products under Section 503A and Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act). As emphasized in a recent U.S. Department of Justice policy memorandum, FDA noted that its guidance documents do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities and, instead should be viewed only as agency recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited.


Continue Reading FDA Issues New Compounding Guidance

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has issued important guidance on how to prepare for hurricanes when dependent on medical devices.  FDA stresses that during hurricanes and other emergency situations, medical devices may be exposed to fluctuating power, contaminants, or unusual levels of heat or humidity. The guidance links to pages providing information on

On March 2, 2017, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the United States had reached an agreement with the European Union (EU) that will allow FDA and EU regulators to use each other’s good manufacturing practice (GMP) inspections of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.  The agreement, entered into after several years of joint collaboration and

On December 28, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance on Postmarket Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices. The guidance clarified aspects of the reporting requirements under Part 806 (21 CFR part 806), which require device manufacturers and importers to report certain device corrections and removals to the FDA. Most actions taken by manufacturers to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exploits are considered “routine updates and patches” that do not require advance notification or reporting. However, actions taken by manufacturers to correct device cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exploits that may pose a risk to health must be reported to the Agency. The guidance:

  • Clarified the changes to devices that are considered cybersecurity routine updates and patches (e.g., certain actions to maintain a controlled risk to health); and
  • Outlined circumstances where FDA does not intend to enforce reporting requirements under Part 806 for specific vulnerabilities with uncontrolled risk.

Continue Reading FDA Guidance on Cybersecurity in Medical Devices

On December 20, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published regulations (Final Rule) establishing postmarketing safety requirements for combination products, which are products comprised of:

(1) a drug and a device;

(2) a device and a biological product;

(3) a biological product and a drug; or

(4) a drug, a device, and a biological product.

“Postmarketing safety” involves manufacturing events, device malfunctions, and events causing injury to users, and the reporting requirements relating to product and patient safety arising from these events. 
Continue Reading FDA Final Rule on Postmarketing Safety Reporting for Combination Products