An $8.3bn “Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental” funding act approved by the US Congress last week and signed into law on 6 March provides dollars and lays out the roles federal agencies, such as the FDA, and state and local agencies must play in containing and controlling the spread of COVID-19.
All US federal and local agencies fighting coronavirus will get large chunks of federal funding to assist their efforts, thanks to passage of an $8.3bn emergency supplemental spending bill approved by Congress and signed by the President last Friday.
In addition, support to keep the virus contained is pouring in from some unexpected quarters, including the private health insurance industry – which is volunteering to pick up the costs...
During MD&M East in Manhattan last week, a panel of experts discussed how the Trump administration’s trade policy is affecting manufacturing and offered some ideas on what manufacturers can do to help mitigate the chaos.
A battle may be forming over the 2027 FDA user fee reauthorizations. At a conference Friday, Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss supports them for their effectiveness, while Deputy FDA Commissioner Grace Graham echoed criticisms from HHS Sec. Kennedy, among others, in calling for reform to ensure public trust.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized administrative cost reductions and defended budget decisions during a Senate hearing on HHS funding. Some senators, however, expressed concerns over the impacts spending cuts had on essential health programs.
During his testimony before US senators on the impact of tariffs on critical supply chains, AdvaMed’s Scott Whitaker said the Trump tariffs could jeopardize America’s preeminence in medtech. Other industry experts echoed similar concerns.
Now that the landmark Pandemic Agreement has finally been adopted, work will start on drafting a pathogen access and benefit sharing system that will be voluntary for use by drug companies.
The FDA has stopped accepting data from two Chinese labs due to accuracy issues. Mid-Link and SDWH have been flagged for potentially falsified results and other misconduct. This decision, which follows months of discussions and warnings, emphasizes the FDA's commitment to ensuring data integrity in medical device submissions.
The US’ 90-day suspension of higher “reciprocal tariffs” will expire on 9 July, raising fears that the 31% tariff rate on Swiss medtech and other goods exported to the US might make a comeback. While the tariff situation changes on an almost daily basis, medtechs should forearm for any eventually, say local business organizations.
