Benefit-risk (BR) assessment, a central part of regulatory decision making, has become increasingly structured in response to the need for consistency and transparency, and in alignment with the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) 2021 draft BR guidance. Early planning and established processes are critical to successful execution. To help regulatory affairs professionals guide clinical development teams in planning and conducting patient-focused structured BR assess...

India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) implemented the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules in 2019 to expedite the drug development and approval processes. This article provides an overview of those processes; explains the rule-specific terminology, such as the definitions of “drug” and “new drug” under Indian law; and outlines strategies for speeding up the approval processes and optimizing registration of prescription medicines in India.   Keywo...

TGA releases guide to classifying active medical devices by risk   New guidance from Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on the risk classification of active medical devices covers software-based products and other medical devices that act by converting energy. Examples of covered devices include pacemakers and phototherapy devices.   The EU defined the term “active medical device” in its Medical Device Regulation (MDR). TGA, which follows the EU w...

The mammoth online retailer Amazon received an untitled letter from The US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (FDA’s CDER) identifying 26 sexual enhancement and weight loss products that contain “undeclared” and “potentially harmful” drug ingredients, according to FDA’s testing of the products.   In this letter — not the first correspondence the agency has had with Amazon on the matter —the firm was called out for marketing unapprove...

FDA observations for adulterated dietary supplements have remained consistent since 2010, even during 2020, when inspections were down 47% and accommodations for compliance were made because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include requirements to establishment specifications, testing to determine if specifications are met, use of master manufacturing records, preparation of batch production records, and ensuring quality responsibilities are defined. The pandemic has also r...

Although third-party audit, certification, and retail standard programs highlight reputable companies and help ensure that dietary supplements on store shelves are safe and unadulterated, multiple standards create a complicated patchwork of requirements that are difficult for manufacturers and consumers to navigate. Responsible industry has emphasized the need to harmonize standards by eliminating duplicative, costly testing and allowing retailers to confirm a manufacturer...

Nearly 3 years have passed since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its draft guidance for industry on the labeling of probiotic quantity. During that time, consumer interest in probiotics has increased, product innovation has expanded, and the body of scientific research has grown – all with no final guidance or updates from the agency. With the growth of this category and continued regulatory uncertainty, responsible industry has stepped up with best practi...

Two bipartisan bills aimed at clarifying what constitutes a new chemical entity (NCE) and providing education on biosimilars to consumers and physicians were signed into law by President Joe Biden on Friday.   The first bill, S. 415 , also known as the Ensuring Innovation Act , amends the Federal Food, Drug, Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) to replace the definition of an active ingredient with the active moiety definition used by FDA for the purposes of determining whether...

Feature articles during January focused the effects of disruption on global regulatory practice. In context of the COVID-19 pandemic, authors examined expedited approval pathways for test kits in southeast Asian countries; the role of digital promotional strategies in minimizing the impact of the pandemic on advertising, promotion, and labeling; and the importance of continuing soft-skills training during remote working. Under the broader framework of disruption, a group o...

The US Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services have jointly published the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every 5 years since 1980 to provide science-based dietary recommendations to promote health and prevent chronic disease. The guidelines inform federal food and nutrition policy programs as well as local, state, and national health promotion and disease prevention initiatives. In addition, professionals in public health, healthcare, educat...

A weekly update on new drug approvals and indications from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).   New approvals Fintepla gets the go-ahead for Dravet syndrome Zogenix’s Fintepla (fenfluramine) has been approved for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome in patients aged 2 years or older. The syndrome is a rare, life-threatening form of epilepsy.   The approval was based on findings from two clinical studies in 202 participants aged ...

This month marks the fifth anniversary of the annual series on nutrition in health and disease management, initiated in 2016 by Manfred Ruthsatz , PhD, RAC, FRAPS (executive director, Nutrition+HealthCARE, Switzerland). Ruthsatz has led all five series to date, this year, together with co-lead, Andrea Wong , PhD (SVP, scientific and regulatory affairs, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Washington DC). They have coordinated authors and reviewers who are global leaders in...