THE VANISHING FDA ORTHO PANEL MEETING (Orthopedics This Week)
In the last few years the ortho panel meeting has gone radio silent.
In 2010 there were nine panel meetings, in 2017 there were only two. In 2018 and 2019 there was not a single premarket approval application (PMA) advisory panel meeting.
We asked the FDA why there were no meetings. More radio silence.
What Do Ortho Panel Meeting Do?
For presenters, sponsoring companies and, indeed, the entire orthopedic community of physicians and companies, the ortho panel meeting is a fascinating process.
Companies submitting their PMAs spend months choreographing every word and speaker. FDA staffers look for the weakest link in the company’s proposal and panel members prepare to perform in front of the public, their peers and industry.
The day of the meeting is like walking into a wedding. In the first couple of rows on the right sit FDA staffers. You'll know them by their youth, full heads of hair and color in their clothing.
In the front couple of rows on the left sit company representatives and their bevy of staffers and expert consultants. You'll know them by their maturity, gray or balding heads and conservative clothing.
At ...
