ARTICLE SUMMARY:
FDA seeks more advisory panelists. Excerpted from Pathways Picks September 30: Robot Evolution, Recruiting FDA Panelists, Global Medtech, and More.
FDA is making a push to “expand the range of qualified voices and perspectives” on its advisory committees, announcing a nationwide recruitment effort on September 30. The agency issued two formal notices this week requesting nominations for scientific/technical members, who typically have voting authority, and consumer representatives, who often are nonvoting participants. To receive first consideration for current vacancies, nominations should come in for consumer representatives by November 15 and for voting members by November 30.
According to an updated FDA listing, there are currently a total of 82 vacancies across the agency’s 18 product area-specific device advisory panels. That is up from 48 vacancies listed for the device panels in January 2025. Under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the department worked to de-emphasize and revamp external expert advisory panels, and the number of FDA committee meetings has declined during the Trump administration. The latest announcement, however, appears to support greater investment in the committee process. “We are actively inviting people from across the country who are on the forefront of their fields — clinicians, researchers, and community voices who can bring the latest science, real-world experience, and fresh perspectives to the FDA’s deliberations,” said Kyle Diamantas, acting FDA commissioner.
Notably, FDA is not calling for nominations of non-voting industry representatives. In 2025, FDA announced plans to reduce the role of industry representatives on panels, although the roles of nonvoting industry reps and patient representatives on device committees are defined in federal statute.