FDA Advisory Committees Set Meeting Dates

by Mark S. Senak
EyeOnFDA.com



Hi there. I know I was taking this week off for vacation, but it hasn't worked out that way. After a quick trip to the family, a 14 hour return drive, instead of R&R, I'm working again. So here is a quick posting to let you know that the FDA today published its list of tentative advisory committee meeting dates for 2007.

There is nothing earth-shattering in a list of dates, but it is interesting to note where the action is. If a committee is scheduled for a slew of meetings, it is a good indication that the FDA is expecting to review a number of products in that therapeutic category. So which committees led the pack?

The real action is in devices. The Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Devices Panel is scheduling 12 meeting days during 2007, followed by the Circulatory System Devices Panel and the Ear, Nose, and Throat Panel with 10 meeting days each. Trailing the pack slightly is the Obstetrics and Gynecology Devices Panel with 8 meeting days.

Next comes CDER, with more committees but a less active roster. The Cardiovascular and Renal Health Advisory Committee is leading there with 8 days of scheduled meetings, followed by the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee with 7 days and the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee with 6.

There is always a lot of talk that biologics are overtaking chemical compounds in development, but the schedule for CBER does not bear that out yet. There, the Vaccine and Related Biological Advisory Committee has scheduled 8 meeting days, followed by the Blood Products Advisory Committee and the Cellular Tissue and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee with 6 days each.

Of course, all of these dates, like my own dating life, is subject to change....


(The above article was re-published by BioHealth Investor with the exclusive permission of the author Mark S. Senak of EyeOnFDA.com)
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