The Coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on drug supply and the approval process for new medications. In this episode, we will define the different expedited drug approval processes, and take a closer look at how successful these programs are in identifying drug efficacy.

Guest speaker:

Steven Lucio, PharmD, BCPS

Senior Principal, Pharmacy Solutions

Vizient

Moderator:

Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS

Pharmacy Executive Director

Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence

Show Notes:

[01:25] Four mechanisms used by FDA to expedite approval of medications: Fast Track, Breakthrough, Accelerated Approval and Priority Review

[01:54] Fast track and breakthrough help drug developers increase communications with the FDA to make approval process flow smoothly

[02:14] The “Fast Track” designation

[2:42] A “Breakthrough” designation – FDA will talk to you more, give advice  

[3:18] Example of an Accelerated Approval

[4:00] Accelerated Approval looks at a surrogate indicator of a disease state’s ultimate outcome

[4:33] “Priority Review” – FDA reviews drug within six months

[5:19] Three reasons why pharmacists need to be aware of the approval programs

[6:07] Expedited approvals are used for serious diseases

[6:15] Analysis: In 2018, 81% of new molecular entities took advantage of at least one expedited program

[6:38] Drugs that use expedited programs have fewer clinical studies and a smaller profile of how they work

[7:20] Survey: 3/4th physicians didn’t know what Breakthrough Therapy meant

[7:57] Analysis of “Accelerated Approval” between 1992 - 2017

[8:44] Why you should know about the expedited drug approval processes

Links | Resources:

JAMA Network: FDA Approval and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, 1983 – 2018, Click Here

JAMA Network: Physicians’ Knowledge About FDA Approval Standards and Perceptions of the “Breakthrough Therapy” Designation, Click Here

JAMA Network: Assessment of the Clinical Benefit of Cancer Drug Receiving Accelerated Approval, Click Here

Subscribe Today!

Apple Podcasts

Google Podcasts

Spotify

Stitcher

Android

RSS Feed