New FDA Advisory Panel Regulations

The FDA has issued new guidelines for participation in their advisory panels, which establish treatment and therapy guidelines, including which medications and devices to use. And I, for one, am very excited about them. 1) Any researcher or physician with more than $50,000 worth of reported financial interests in pharmaceutical or medical device companies are barred from the panels 2) Briefing materials will be publicly released no later than 48 hours prior to the meetings of advisory committees 3) Votes will now be simultaneous so one does not affect another 4) Website redesign for easier public access to materials.