Survey Says Physicians Have Limited Understanding of FDA Drug, Device Approvals

Familiarity with FDA regulations on the agency’s processes for approving drugs and devices is lacking among doctors, but differs by specialty, according to a national survey of physicians conducted by University of California San Francisco (UCSF) researchers.

In the survey, many internists, cardiologists and oncologists in the U.S. report limited understanding of the FDA’s drug and medical device approval processes, with cardiologists most confident on device clearances and oncologists more confident on drug approval.

Invited to participate in the survey were 1,450 randomly selected internists, cardiologists and oncologists — with 509 responding, a 39 percent response rate — and not a universal selection nationally of all physicians.

Access the complete report here.

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