The FDA's 'Wish List': A Unified Agenda

Every year, around October, children begin dreaming of the gifts they want for the holidays and put them on their wish lists. Due to the economy, however, many children were disappointed in 2009. Like the children, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with other federal agencies, publishes its wish list called the Semiannual Regulatory Agenda. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 and Executive Order 12866 require the publication of this semiannual inventory of the rulemaking under development, and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes this wish list for the FDA. The latest came out on Dec. 7, 2009. This author always notices when the list comes out since the questions begin regarding the dates on the list, especially those asking whether the dates are for real. Like all wishes and dreams, sometimes they do come true, but the FDA’s batting average is well below the Mendoza Line—i.e., less than 200, or 1 in 5 (which, of course, is poor).

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