• where experts go to learn about FDA
  • Anne K. Walsh

    • First Constitutional Challenge to FDA’s Civil Money Penalty AuthorityOctober 7th, 2024

      It took only 3 months.  In June, the Supreme Court ruled that the SEC cannot use its administrative authority to impose civil penalties for securities fraud on the ground that these penalties violate the U.S. Constitution’s Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial.  See SEC …

    • Days Go By* – Particularly When Responding to an FDA InspectionSeptember 13th, 2024

      While we hope readers of the Blog, as our clients and friends, come out of any FDA inspection with a clean bill of health, we know that based on FDA FY2024 data to date, approximately 40% of inspections of medical device companies end up classified …

    • Knock, Knock – FDA Issues Guidance on Best Processes and Practices During BIMO InspectionsJune 11th, 2024

      Among FDA-regulated establishments and stakeholders, there is one word that makes everyone go on edge – the dreaded FDA “inspection.” In an effort to clarify for industry and alleviate some of the stress associated with these activities, last week the FDA issued a draft guidance …

    • Silence Isn’t Golden: Two Executives Convicted in First Criminal Prosecution Under the Consumer Product Safety ActNovember 28th, 2023

      Although the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) has been around for over 50 years to “protect the public against unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products,” it was not until 2008 that the statute was amended to authorize the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) …

    • FDA Improves the Process for Filing Complaints About Medical Device CompaniesOctober 27th, 2023

      In our June blog post, we reported on FDA’s request for comments about its program to receive information from the public alleging misconduct by other companies.  FDA uses this program to help it identify risks and to determine whether further investigation is needed.  Because this …

    • Another DOJ Self-Disclosure Policy – This time for M&A LawyersOctober 6th, 2023

      DOJ has issued another “voluntary disclosure” policy intended to encourage companies to disclose misconduct it discovers as part of a merger and acquisition.  Under this new policy, a company will receive a “presumption of declination” of agency action – i.e., a safe harbor – if …

    • Fool Me Once, Shame on You. Fool Me Twice and It’s a Federal Felony—Always?September 29th, 2023

      As readers of the FDA Law Blog know, the FDC Act is a strict liability criminal enforcement statute that can impose criminal misdemeanor penalties on a person without any showing of intent.  See some of our prior posts, here, here, and here.  If committed with …

    • Helping FDA Help Itself: Voluntary Submissions of Allegations of Regulatory MisconductJune 27th, 2023

      Last fall, we blogged about the process FDA uses to review allegations of regulatory misconduct against device manufacturers, suggesting greater transparency on the FDA process was needed (see here).  FDA now seeks comments on this very program to support its continued collection of information as …

    • When Refusing a Picture During a Food Inspection Could Prove CostlyOctober 27th, 2022

      The question of whether FDA has authority to take pictures during an inspection of a facility has bounced around the food and drug bar for many years. FDA’s view is stated in the agency’s Investigation Operations Manual, and it is one with which a number …

    • Fraud-on-the-FDA As A Basis for A False Claims Act Lawsuit: Is It Dead Or Just Resting?June 13th, 2022

      Legal doctrines can be like parrots.  Sometimes it is hard to know if they are dead or just resting. Under the False Claims Act (FCA), if a company’s fraudulent conduct induces a governmental entity to enter into a contract with the company, then any claims for …

    • Are You Recall Ready? FDA Expects You to BeMarch 21st, 2022

      All companies dread the logistics, cost, and reputational harm associated with conducting a recall when necessary to remove or correct products in the field.  But the more prepared a company is for a potential recall, the less pressure it will feel when a situation necessitates …

    • FDA Proposes to Harmonize the Quality System Regulation with ISO 13485March 7th, 2022

      On February 23, 2022, FDA published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would replace the Quality System Regulation (QSR), at 21 C.F.R. Part 820, with a newly named Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR).  The QMSR omits many of the specific QSR requirements that …

    • “The Name’s Bond. James Bond.”: DOJ Requires Companies to Identify All Responsible IndividualsNovember 15th, 2021

      It may be just a coincidence that DOJ released its latest policy pronouncement at the same time as the final “Daniel Craig as James Bond” movie.  But like James Bond, companies in the crosshairs of a government investigation have No Time to Die, as they …

    • Giving Regulatory Due Diligence Its DueSeptember 2nd, 2021

      The adage that “no one is perfect” applies as equally to companies as it does to people.  Before committing to a merger or acquisition with another company, a potential Buyer must conduct due diligence to identify the imperfections of a target company so the Buyer …

    • DOJ Re-Brands Guidance DocumentsAugust 30th, 2021

      Companies often use rebranding to reposition and refocus their business.  Sometimes they do it with great fanfare; sometimes it is done quietly and incrementally.  The federal government does its own version of rebranding with each change in administration.  Just before the July 4 holiday weekend, …