Read more about the article Reforming the FDA: Saving Money, Saving Lives

Reforming the FDA: Saving Money, Saving Lives

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the approval and regulation of prescription drugs, tobacco products, medical devices, and food items. With a $5.7 billion budget for fiscal year (FY) 2019 ($2.6 billion from various user fees), the agency falls short in providing Americans adequate access to the products they need or want. The prescription medication approval process remains languid and demands increasingly-outdated statistical guidelines from drug sponsors. The agency’s “tobacco product” evaluation process focuses more on fear and risk-aversion than evidence-based policy making, and bizarrely includes products such as electronic cigarettes that do not contain tobacco. The FDA often has food guidelines based on politics and hysteria rather than science.

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Read more about the article Taxpayer Watchdog Releases New Report on FDA Reform

Taxpayer Watchdog Releases New Report on FDA Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) released a new report, “Reforming the FDA: Saving Money, Saving Lives.” From medicine approval to tobacco harm reduction to human (and pet) food regulation, the report shows the depth and breadth of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) impact on consumers and taxpayers.

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Read more about the article Watchdog Group Praises Appeals Court Ruling on Open Internet

Watchdog Group Praises Appeals Court Ruling on Open Internet

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for largely upholding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 2017 repeal of Title II rules. Released on October 1, the ruling allows the FCC to maintain light regulatory rules that have allowed the internet to prosper and internet providers to increase access and services. The court, however, bars the commission from preempting state attempts to create their own Title II-style arrangements.

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Read more about the article FDA Must Allow, Not Thwart, Genetic Testing Revolution

FDA Must Allow, Not Thwart, Genetic Testing Revolution

The human body is a wonderfully and mind-numbingly complex machine, with any new therapy or medication kickstarting thousands of chain reactions barely perceptible to patients. The relatively-few effects that do matter can be deadly. Prescription drug-related deaths cost the healthcare system and grieving families more than $100 billion annually. Fortunately, cutting-edge consumer genetic kits can sound the alarm on potential problems that could arise if a patient takes a certain drug or drug of a certain class. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) never lets a good regulatory opportunity go to waste. The agency is determined to keep key prescription information out of the hands of patients and block some genetic tests altogether pending an onerous paperwork process. The FDA’s war on genetic testing will harm patients and make it harder for millions of Americans to get the lifesaving care they need.

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Read more about the article Taxpayers and Consumers Need Beware of Costly, ‘Green’ Trojan Horses

Taxpayers and Consumers Need Beware of Costly, ‘Green’ Trojan Horses

Some 3,000 years ago in Anatolia, the Greeks laying siege to Troy had a brilliant idea: sneak some men into the city through a wooden horse masked as a gift and then the gates could be opened for the rest of the army. The Trojan Horse may have been a genius military maneuver, but it shouldn’t translate to expensive and unnecessary public policy.

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Read more about the article Watchdog Praises Trump Administration for International Postal Victory

Watchdog Praises Trump Administration for International Postal Victory

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised the Trump administration’s efforts to reach an agreement at the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) “Extraordinary Congress.” The deal forged by the United States and other member-states will protect taxpayers and consumers by allowing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to set its own postage rates for inbound packages, without the U.S. withdrawing from the 192-country agency.

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Read more about the article Watchdog Condemns Massachusetts Vaping Ban

Watchdog Condemns Massachusetts Vaping Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) wrote to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) urging him to rescind the public health emergency used to justify banning all vaping products in Massachusetts. The ban, which would last for four months, was triggered by a recent spate of illnesses and deaths caused by illegal, black market THC products laced with vitamin E acetone and other adulterants. Hundreds have fallen ill, and up to 9 people have died as a result of these illicit products.

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Read more about the article Taxpayer Watchdog Praises Kennedy in Push for Public C-Band Auction

Taxpayer Watchdog Praises Kennedy in Push for Public C-Band Auction

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised Senator John Kennedy’s (R-La.) push to have the appropriations subcommittee report include language calling for a public auction of the valuable taxpayer-owned mid-band spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently contemplating how to clear this mid-band spectrum which is critical for the successful deployment of 5G internet services. A consortium of satellite companies known as the C-Band Alliance (CBA) have pressured the agency to forgo the usual public auction process and instead allow the organization to opaquely sell C-band resources without a guaranteed return for taxpayers.

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Read more about the article Under a President Sanders, UAW-style strikes would be a regular occurrence

Under a President Sanders, UAW-style strikes would be a regular occurrence

Americans woke up at the beginning of the week to hear an unusual bit of news – thousands of auto workers had gone on strike. Union strikes are hardly a common occurrence, and strikes have become particularly rare in the auto industry. In fact, the United Auto Workers hasn’t had a national strike against GM since 2007. But, if Senator and presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had his druthers, large national strikes would be a frequent occurrence.

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Read more about the article Watchdog Praises Moves to Modernize Energy Market

Watchdog Praises Moves to Modernize Energy Market

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) strongly praised the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for releasing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to modernize the antiquated Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA). The proposed federal action would lead to the first comprehensive review of the agency’s PURPA regulations since they were first enacted 39 years ago. Watchdog Praises Moves to Modernize Energy Market

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