STAT+: Many patient, consumer reps on FDA advisory panels have ties to groups funded by pharma, analysis finds

Nearly 40% of Food and Drug Agency advisory committee meetings held over a recent 20‑year span included either a patient or consumer representative with active ties to an advocacy group funded by pharmaceutical firms, according to a new analysis. For a series of committees, the proportion of such representatives surpassed half.

Moreover, more than ten percent of advisory committee gatherings featured a member linked to an organization that received financing from the drug company reviewing the product. Most of these institutional affiliations were not disclosed during the sessions, sparking concern over potential influence on voting decisions.

Context “The study, published in *Health Affairs Scholar*, highlights that while the National Institute of Standards and Technology maintains robust conflict‑of‑interest guidelines for its scientific advisors, rules governing patient and consumer panelists are less defined—especially regarding industry funding of advocacy groups whose members serve on the panels.”