Food and Drug Administration commissioner Margaret Hamburg faced strong criticism Tuesday in a hearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to investigate the nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy, but she conceded the agency could have done more.

The Food and Drug Administration has 30 days to approve over-the-counter availability of the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step to women of all ages, according to a decision issued by Judge Edward Korman of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York.

A group of doctors and public health professors are hoping the Food and Drug Administration will place stronger regulations on energy drinks to protect children and adolescents from what they call the harmful effects of high caffeine consumption.

One of the FDA's chief duties is ensuring the quality of food and drug products, and that was the focus of a keynote address delivered at the GPhA annual meeting.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the distribution of 2 million additional doses of Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) 75 mg that contain an older version of the package insert.

An advocacy group said proposed Food and Drug Administration rules for compounding pharmacies would put the public's health and safety at risk.

The Food and Drug Administration will review the safety of energy drinks containing such stimulants as caffeine in response to a letter from two senators.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Thomas Farley received their seasonal flu vaccination Thursday morning at a Duane Reade pharmacy in New York City, demonstrating the importance of taking proactive steps to prevent the spread of influenza.

The New York City health commissioner’s ban on the sale of big cups of fountain soda drew many an unfavorable accusation that the administration of mayor Michael Bloomberg was trying to turn the city into a nanny state, with NaturalNews.com editor Mike Adams asking, “What’s next? Is Bloomberg gonna pull a Singapore and ban chewing gum too?”


Keynote speeches by pharmaceutical industry and regulatory leaders got top billing as more than 140 government, healthcare industry, law enforcement and patient advocacy officials gathered to find ways to combat the spread of counterfeit medicines.

A consumer group is urging the Food and Drug Administration to review a proprietary point-of-purchase nutrition rating system that it said is "inconsistent with FDA guidance statements and enforcement correspondence, federal nutrition programs and recommendations from the Institute of Medicine."

The number of new drug shortages has been halved as early notifications from manufacturers of potential shortages have increased sixfold, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration wrote Thursday.