Devices, or drug-delivery device, alternatives for pain control may provide at least a partial solution to the nation's opioid abuse epidemic, FDA Commissioner-nominee Scott Gottlieb said at his April 5 confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

President Trump's initial budget plan for US FDA would, it appears, make industry-paid user fees a much larger proportion of the agency's budget, but details are lacking. As is, the plan could complicate agreements that came out of FDA-industry user-fee negotiations last summer, but observers say this is just the first step in a process and Congress will ultimately decide. Trump would also shave 22% from the National Institutes of Health.

Updated guidance indicates food and drug activities fall within public safety exemption, but interpretation of language remains unclear.