FDA Budget Swells as Administration Bows to Congress

The basis of the current affairs of the FDA are not unlike many other stories being told today. We live in a world of transparency, and we are all still getting used to it for that matter, but things don’t fit under the carpet anymore. The old saying of “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” should finally be put to rest. It basically comes back around to moving forward with technology and utilizing new resources and being upfront about needing funds to support. Myself, I have run in to this same scenario many times, with doctors, hospitals, etc. resistant to change and in the end it will come back to bite.

About 3 years ago I began carrying the technology torch to convey this message to many, only to have rooms filled with disbelievers, well that time is finally coming to an end…the people with the information and the ability to manage, are the ones in control and the folks capable of today’s decision making processes and it’s moving fast. There will be more stories of avoiding technology efforts and the resistance to incorporate new technology to surface, as the FDA is not alone, but they are in the limelight today as health care continues to play the “catch up” game. You can’t ignore the big white elephant in the living room for long and continue to resist change. About a year ago I was amazed at a publication that stated some of the employees of the FDA didn’t even have a computer, folks creating reports and studies. BD

During the hastily announced call, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach thanked the president, the administration, and each other for pushing for an additional $275 million for the agency, which has been under constant attack in Congress this year because of the disaster with contaminated heparin from China. For the first time, they said in plain, direct language that the agency needs more money than the president requested this year.

Reporters peppered the two men with questions about the failed attempts in April and May by Democrats to get the FDA to admit it was short of funds. Instead, von Eschenbach and Leavitt urged, almost dared, Congress to “rapidly” get the agency the cash the president now wants it to have.

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/06/10/fda-budget-swells-as-administration-bows-to-congress/