DC Conference: FDA At A Crossroads

This one looks interesting. The Union of Concerned Scientists is holding a conference next week (Nov. 15) at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. that will explore many of the pressing issues at the Food and Drug Administration. FDA chief Margaret Hamburg is scheduled to give the keynote address, probably around 8:30 a.m. when the conference kicks off. Here’s the full agenda:

9:30 AM Panel 1: Patient Safety Moderator: Tom Burton, J.D., The Wall Street Journal: How can the FDA better monitor clinical trials and approved drugs and improve the process for predicting drug and device safety?
11:00 AM Panel 2: The Efficacy of Drugs and Devices Regulated by the FDA Moderator: John Powers, M.D., George Washington University School of Medicine: How can evidence-based medicine, meta-analysis, comparative effectiveness, and off-label use policies be improved and effectively implemented?
2:00 PM Panel 3: Scientific Integrity at the FDA Moderator: Francesca Grifo, Ph.D., Union of Concerned Scientists: How can the FDA better promote a culture of transparency and scientific integrity, protect the rights of scientists and whistleblowers, and limit political and corporate interference in agency policy decisions?
3:15 PM Panel 4: Institutional Challenges at the FDA Moderator: Susan Wood, Ph.D., George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services: How do conflicts of interest impact the work of agency advisory committees? How can the agency best allocate limited resources? Are current policies regarding user fees effective?