US Regulation of Advertising, Promotion, and Labeling for Medical Devices (2022)

Deborah Wolf, JD, Regulatory Counsel, Division of Premarket and Labeling Compliance, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA 

Deborah Wolf is an attorney and regulatory counsel in the US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) Office of Product Evaluation and Quality, Regulations, Policy and Guidance. In this role, she advises CDRH staff who address regulatory policy related to device labeling and advertising and provides support related to a broad range of medical device legal and regulatory issues. Wolf has worked at CDRH since 1995.

Lynn Deutsch, President & Founder, Regulatory Promo LLC

Lynn Deutsch is a respected regulatory leader in the medical device industry, specializing in advertising & promotion expertise with more than 20 years of experience. In 2017, Lynn founded Regulatory Promo, LLC, a consulting business, sharing her passion for helping others achieve compliance with product launches, public relations, internal communications, social media, audit observations and training – not only from an FDA perspective but in geographies worldwide.

Lynn is an effective communicator with the regulatory knowledge to help achieve the desired core messaging while keeping it cutting edge and compliant. Prior to founding Regulatory Promo, Lynn held regulatory management positions with Varian Medical Systems, Guidant, Medtronic, along with her last industry role at Abbott Vascular, where she was the worldwide director of advertising & promotion for 10 years. Lynn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Menlo College, Atherton, CA.

Joanne Hawana, MS, JD, Member, Mintz Levin

Joanne Hawana counsels global clients on regulatory and distribution-related considerations to bringing a new FDA-regulated product to market and how to ensure continued compliance after a product is commercialized. She also advises on the business impact of new US federal and state actions that affect those regulated products, such as drugs, foods, cosmetics, and medical devices, including in vitro diagnostics, lab tests, and mobile medical applications.

In recent years, Joanne has been advising clients in different industries regarding FDA’s approaches to precision medicine and the impact of the agency’s policies on product development and marketing plans. She frequently works with clients to develop and implement their responses to common FDA actions, such as warning letters and inspectional reports (the “Form 483”). She has also been involved in advising and helping clients respond to Federal Trade Commission investigations related to product advertising and requests for substantiation of certain promotional claims. Prior to joining Mintz, Joanne was an attorney in the food and drug practice in the DC office of another law firm.

Alan Minsk, Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

Alan is a partner and leader of the Food & Drug practice. He advises pharmaceutical, biologic, medical device, cosmetic and food companies (including dietary supplements and medical foods) on all legal and regulatory matters relating to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He counsels clients on a wide variety of FDA-related issues including regulatory strategies and life cycle management, combination products, FDA enforcement, FDA inspections, corporate compliance, market exclusivity, product promotion and advertising, product liability, clinical trials and imports and exports. In addition, Alan works with life science companies and venture capital firms on regulatory diligence matters involving acquisitions, divestitures, regulatory opinion letters, co-promotions and licensing agreements. He also drafts and reviews agreements relating to clinical trials, quality, and contract manufacturing. Alan conducts in-house training on FDA and fraud and abuse topics.

Alan serves as general counsel of Sharing Alliance Inc., a pharmaceutical trade organization focused on compliance with the Prescription Drug Marketing Act, fraud and abuse compliance, and sample accountability. He has written book chapters, articles and bulletins on a wide variety of issues, including 505(b)(2) NDAs, orphan drugs, product promotion, quality agreements, compliance, and medical device regulation. He currently serves on a number of editorial boards for professional publications, including the RAPS Focus magazine, and the Food and Law Drug Institute's Food and Drug Journal. Alan is nationally recognized by Chambers USA for “Life Sciences: Regulatory/Compliance” has been selected for inclusion in the international publication of Who’s Who Legal for “Life Sciences: Regulatory” and is recognized by Best Lawyers for “FDA Law”.

Jessica Ringel, JD, Partner, King & Spalding LLP

Jessica Ringel advises medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers on matters involving FDA regulation. Jessica’s practice focuses on post-market safety and quality matters, including responses to FDA inspections and enforcement actions, conducting recalls, and reporting adverse events. Her practice also includes evaluating pre-market strategy and advising on FDA-compliant promotional practices for device firms. In addition, Jessica frequently conducts due diligence evaluations for life sciences manufacturers, private equity funds, and investment banks.

Bradley Thompson, JD, RAC, Member, Epstein, Becker & Green, P.C.

Bradley Merrill Thompson is a shareholder in the national law firm of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. There he counsels software, medical device, and drug companies on a wide range of FDA regulatory issues and leads the firm’s AI practice. For trade associations, he has served as counsel to AdvaMed and the Continua Health Alliance, as General Counsel to the Combination Products Coalition, mHealth Regulatory Coalition, the Clinical Decision Support Coalition, and AI Startups in Health Coalition.

Bradley has also served as a member of a workgroup established under the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act to identify key considerations to improve patient safety and promote innovation in health information technology, including mobile medical applications, co-chairing the Regulations Subcommittee. He also served as Co-Chair of the Food & Drug Law Committee in the American Bar Association and of the Medical Device Committee of FDLI.