As we outlined late last week, the FDA’s budget has been affected by the sequester. Those cuts are set to include the user fees paid by industry to support its product reviews. But following an outcry by the agency and the industry, the White House has stepped in with their stance that user fees paid by the industry should be protected.
Today, the Obama administration urged Congress to allow the FDA to spend $41 billion in drugmaker user fees. The rules of the sequester place limits on the fee-derived funds that the agency can spend, thus the needs for Congress’ intervention. According to its release, the White House suggested that sequestration will slow progress toward cures and cost thousands of researchers their jobs.
