In Vitro Veritas
A renegotiation of the EMA (European Medicines Agency) medical devices directives is imminent. Our spies tell us that, for in vitro diagnostics, a line will be drawn between tests used as companion diagnostics -- where clinical evidence of their applicability will be required -- and other in vitro tests such as PSA for prostate cancer -- where no such evidence will be required.
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
Eric Abadie, the chair of CHMP (The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use) has resigned -- another victim of L’Affaire Mediator (the French anti diabetic /anti obesity drug remained questionably available in France and killed somewhere on the order of 5000 patients from pulmonary valve disease). The French Agency sacked him and the EMA opted not to pick up his salary.
Meanwhile on our own placid shores
Here’s an excellent article from the April edition of Nature Biotechnology on some of the key policy questions facing the US biotech sector pending PDUFA and presidential politics.
