BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics, Policy & Law

Purge politics

June 13, 2005 7:00 AM UTC

The Republican leadership and industry lobbyists were taken by surprise last week when Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) persuaded the House to vote to bar waivers from financial conflict of interest regulations for FDA advisory committee participants.

The move is touted as the way to purge the rot of pharma industry influence at the agency, but in reality will drain the pool of qualified clinicians and scientists the agency has deemed necessary to assess new therapies. At the same time, the proposed ban entirely misses the reason most COI waivers are issued, which most often does not involve a direct financial interest in the product under review...