The Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act contains provisions for a $34 million boost to the Food & Drug Administration's medical device division, but the increase is less than the 24 percent boost approved by the House earlier this year.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would boost the Food & Drug Administration's medical device division's budget by $34 million next year, winning plaudits from industry advocates, but the increase is less than the $68 million boost representatives approved earlier this year [2].
The Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act would send $315 million to the FDA's medical device industry watchdog, the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, a 12.1 percent increase over the center's $281 million budget for fiscal 2009.
That's in line with the Obama administration's request for the center, but it's a far cry from the 24 percent increase the House approved in July, when it sent the CDRH budget up to $350 million.
Even so, Stephen Ubl, president and CEO of the industry council AdvaMed, lauded the most recent vote in a press release, saying that the council "supports a strong and well-funded FDA" and that the extra cash will help the agency "continue its important mission to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and diagnostics."
The Senate must still approve the ag bill before it's sent to President Barack Obama's desk to be signed into law.
Links:
[1] http://www.massdevice.com/sites/default/files/story_art/FDA_100_4.jpg
[2] http://www.massdevice.com/news/house-passes-373-million-fda-budget-boost
[3] http://www.massdevice.com/device-terms/regulatory
[4] http://www.massdevice.com/news/house-approves-fda-budget-boost
