And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up, but already we expect to catch up on our reading list, promenade with the official mascots, and escort Mrs. Pharmalot to a soiree or two. We also plan yet another listening party, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? For many, this is the last stretch for holiday shopping — so go ahead, give the economy a boost. You could also plan a last-minute getaway or simply schedule a few activities if you have time off. This may be an opportunity to enjoy a moving picture or simply plan the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you next year, as they say. A colleague or two will fill in for us next week while we take a moment to count our blessings, not our faults. Happy holidays, everyone. …
A new program intended to fast-track drug reviews at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is quickly becoming a way for the White House and top political officials at the agency to exert control over which medicines make their way fastest to patients in the United States, STAT reports. The FDA has historically aimed to keep drug reviews in the hands of career scientists to avoid political interference, or even the appearance of political interference. But high-level FDA officials have been involved in every part of the new program to award “Commissioner’s National Priority Review” vouchers. They have awarded at least one voucher over the concerns of staff, and pressed staff to award vouchers to certain companies as part of the drug-pricing agreements being struck by the White House.
President Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III substance, marking a major milestone in U.S. drug policy and choosing sides in the debate between advocates for more research and drug policy hawks, STAT explains. Under the new classification, marijuana will remain an illegal drug under federal law. But the move could facilitate additional research into cannabis, according to federal officials, even as others warned it would also boost the marijuana industry by allowing major tax breaks that were prohibited under the substance’s current classification. Opponents cast the decision as likely to increase marijuana use, in part because it would allow companies that sell cannabis to deduct standard business expenses from their tax bills, including advertising.
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