The FDA has announced a nationwide recruitment effort to expand the range of voices and perspectives on its advisory committees.
The agency is also publishing two Federal Register notices: one seeking qualified scientific, technical, and professional voting members across all committees with current or anticipated vacancies, and a companion notice seeking consumer representatives to bring the public’s voice to the table.
Kyle Diamantas, the acting FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, said that these advisory committees “bring together leading scientific minds to engage with the most difficult questions in public health. … These panels provide independent expertise and rigorous scrutiny as the FDA navigates complex and rapidly evolving areas of science.”
Advisory committees bring together scientific experts along with patient advocates and consumer representatives to evaluate the evidence on drugs, vaccines, biologics, medical devices, and other FDA-regulated products. Now, the FDA is recruiting candidates for vacancies spanning multiple scientific domains. The application process remains open until November 15.
The FDA has been roiled by controversy over the last couple of years. Marty Makary, the last commissioner, resigned in May, and a new permanent director hasn’t been appointed since.
