FDA 2.0…Really?

Now this is interesting! The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in collaboration with FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Center for Veterinary Medicine, and Center for Devices and Radiological Health, has announced a public hearing (scheduled for 12 & 13 November in Washington DC) to discuss issues related to the promotion of FDA-regulated medical products (including prescription drugs for humans and animals, prescription biologics, and medical devices) using the Internet and social media tools (can you say Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the blogosphere, etc.?). FDA is seeking participation in the public hearing and written comments from all interested parties, including, but not limited to, consumers, patients, caregivers, health care professionals, patient groups, Internet vendors, advertising agencies, and the regulated industry. This meeting and the written comments are intended to help guide FDA in making policy decisions on the promotion of human and animal prescription drugs and biologics and medical devices using the Internet and social media tools. FDA is seeking input on a number of specific questions but is interested in any other pertinent information participants in the hearing would like to share. From my understanding the last discourse FDA held on the matter was in October of 1996. For a blast from the (Web 1.0) past to a look at the transcript [HERE].