Public Citizen Files Lawsuit Against FDA Over AdComm Redactions

Public Citizen is suing the FDA for withholding details about members of its advisory committees and panels, contending that this information could expose potentially problematic relationships with industry.

The lawsuit argues that the agency has illegally redacted information from the online curricula vitae for members of the agency’s 33 advisory committees and 18 panels. The suit was filed last week in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

According to the consumer advocacy group, unrestricted public access to this information is needed “to assess the backgrounds and potential biases of advisory committee members,” whose recommendations can carry significant weight with the agency.