Faster FDA drug approvals unpopular amongst cautious public

According to a new STAT-Harvard poll, 6 out of 10 American's oppose the recent federal regulation changes introduced to speed up the development and approval of new prescription drugs. This coincides with the 55% percent who object to the accelerate approvals of medical devices. The poll was conducted by 1,006 randomly selected US adults by telephone from April 27 through May 1.

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans opposes federal regulatory changes to speed up the development and approval of new medical treatments, a new STAT-Harvard poll finds — suggesting the public has serious doubts about legislation now moving through Congress.

The poll also shows strong public support for removing prescription drug advertisements from television. The spots directed at consumers have been criticized by the nation’s leading doctors group for promoting the overuse of expensive drugs.

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The poll, by STAT and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, comes as lawmakers from both parties are pushing to change government regulatory standards that they blame for slowing the approval process to get new products to patients.