Each week we highlight five things affecting the life sciences industry. Here’s the latest.
FDA advances plan to reduce animal testing
- The agency met its first-year targets by expanding the use of alternative testing methods and updating guidelines to reduce reliance on animal studies in drug development.
- According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, these efforts aim to improve safety assessments while accelerating innovation through modern scientific approaches and new testing technologies.
President orders push to accelerate psychedelic drug reviews
- A new directive from President Trump calls for faster regulatory reviews of psychedelic-based treatments following advocacy efforts tied to a prominent podcaster.
- Fierce Biotech reports that the move could reshape approval timelines by prioritizing these therapies within existing review pathways.
Medtech navigates tariff strain
- One year after new tariffs, medical technology companies continue to face higher costs and reduced gross margins while they await findings for the Section 232 investigation on medical products.
- Per Supply Chain Dive, firms are balancing short-term fixes with longer-term strategies like supply chain restructuring and selective price adjustments rather than fully offsetting tariff pressures.
CDRH director signals upcoming AI guidance
- Michelle Tarver, director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) previewed forthcoming guidance aimed at clarifying how artificial intelligence will be evaluated and regulated in medical technologies.
- According to MedTech Dive, the final guidance is expected to address transparency and bias, lifecycle management and monitoring considerations as AI becomes more integrated into medical devices.
AI research hub expands in London
- Reuters reports that a new artificial intelligence research center has been launched in London to accelerate drug discovery and improve early-stage pharmaceutical development.
- The initiative focuses on using advanced data analysis and machine learning to enhance research efficiency and support innovation in health care.
