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    • FDA’s Draft Quality Metrics Guidance, Version 2.0December 5th, 2016

      Last month, FDA announced the publication of a revised version of the Draft Quality Metrics Guidance that it had published back in July of 2015. We had blogged about the original Draft Guidance at that time (see prior posting here).  Below we provide a brief …

    • There’s a New Reporting Tool in TownNovember 3rd, 2016

      By Jennifer M. Thomas –  Last week, FDA rolled out a new online reporting program, titled “Reporting Allegations of Regulatory Misconduct,” with little fanfare. No blog post in FDA Voice, no press conference, and even the (longwinded) name of the program seems calculated to send the …

    • Update on the DeCoster Criminal CaseOctober 7th, 2016

      By Jennifer M. Thomas – You might have read in our blog post two weeks ago that Quality Egg, LLC executives Austin (Jack) and Peter DeCoster had petitioned for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc of the Eight Circuit opinion affirming their three-month prison sentences.  Last …

    • Say Cheese! FDA Issues Warning Letter Based Solely on Company’s “Refusal”October 6th, 2016

      By Anne K. Walsh & Robert A. Dormer – As we predicted it might, FDA effectively shut down a drug facility based solely on its conduct during an FDA inspection, without any observed GMP or safety concern related to the company’s products or procedures.  In a …

    • The DeCosters Battle OnSeptember 20th, 2016

      By Jennifer M. Thomas – As predicted in our last post on the significant Park­­-related litigation arising out of the Quality Egg case, Austin (Jack) and Peter Decoster timely petitioned for panel or en banc rehearing of their Eighth Circuit challenge to three-month prison sentences imposed …

    • FDA Rolls Out a New Form—You May Want to Pay Attention to This OneSeptember 15th, 2016

      By JP Ellison & Wes Siegner – There are 12 pages of FDA forms on the FDA website covering everything from product topics (foods, drugs, cosmetics, etc.) to safety forms and FDA field operations forms.  Unless we missed it, one of FDA’s newest forms isn’t on its website.  …

    • FDA Releases “Notice” Advising of a Change in Inspections of Pharmacies Compounding Drug Products within FDCA Section 503A: Let’s Watch What Happens Next….July 20th, 2016

      By Karla L. Palmer – FDA posted a “Notice” on July 12, 2016, advising compounding pharmacies regulated under Section 503A that, effective August 1, 2016, FDA is changing inspection procedures for Section 503A pharmacies (see Notice here). FDA announced that it now will make a “preliminary assessment” whether compounders …

    • The Biggest Park Doctrine Ruling in Over 40 Years?July 6th, 2016

      By Jennifer M. Thomas & John R. Fleder – On July 6, 2016, the Eighth Circuit upheld a district court ruling in United States v. DeCoster that imposed three-month prison sentences and $100,000 fines on Austin “Jack” and Peter Decoster, the owner and chief operating officer, …

    • A New and Improved (Updated) List of Pending DESI Program ProceedingsJune 21st, 2016

      By Kurt R. Karst –      It’s been a little more than 4.5 years since we first revealed in a December 11, 2011 FDA Law Blog post the fruits of our hunt for the mythical list of pending proceedings under the Drug Efficacy Study Implementation …

    • Health Science Funding Case – A Lesson in How Not to Address Marketing Uncertainty Surrounding Medical FoodsJune 12th, 2016

      By Riëtte van Laack As we reported previously, in 2013, Health Science Funding, LLC (HSF) filed what might be the first medical food lawsuit against FDA.  Plaintiff markets a medical food for women with lupus, Prastera® DHEA.  Medical foods may be marketed without pre-market approval by …

    • International Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Imperiled Like Never Before: A Webinar Presented by Dechert LLP and Hyman, Phelps & McNamara PCJune 2nd, 2016

        In recent years, the level of scrutiny on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in countries like China and India has skyrocketed—along with the demand and dependence of western countries on the supply of goods coming from those facilities. With the international pharmaceutical supply chain imperiled …

    • Yates’ Update on Yates MemoMay 16th, 2016

      By Anne K. Walsh & John R. Fleder – DOJ Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates spoke last week before the New York City Bar Association White Collar Crime Institute to provide an update on the DOJ policy she announced in September 2015, about which we …

    • Does FDA’s Per Se Prohibition Against Off-Label Promotion Have a Future?April 26th, 2016

      The short answer to that question is “No,” says Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.’s Jeffrey K. Shapiro in an article published in the March/April 2016 issue of the Food and Drug Law Institute’s Update Magazine.  Mr. Shapiro examines the Department of Justice’s recent criminal prosecution of …

    • Another Data Integrity Warning Letter for an Indian Facility, This One with Explicit FDA Requests for Corrective ActionsApril 25th, 2016

      By James C. Shehan – In a bluntly-worded warning letter to contract manufacturer Sri Krishna Pharmaceuticals Ltd. issued April 1, 2016, we see another example of increasing FDA concern over data integrity issues at non-US drug manufacturing facilities, particularly those in India. This rather remarkable letter contains …

    • HP&M to Highlight its New FDA Deskbook on Compliance and EnforcementApril 19th, 2016

      Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C. (“HP&M”) is proud to announce the publication of its FDA Deskbook, incorporating more than a century of experience of HP&M’s attorneys from positions in the government and regulated industry. The FDA Deskbook provides a comprehensive resource that details the ins-and-outs …