Survey Shows Doctors Have Limited Knowledge of FDA Approval Protocol

Over half of American doctors are under the impression the FDA approval process for new drugs and medical devices is more rigorous than it actually is.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in White Oak, Md., on June 5, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

More than half of American doctors think the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process for new drugs and medical devices is more rigorous than it actually is, according to a national survey.

The survey, conducted by a research team from the University of California (UC)–San Francisco and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, shows that less than half of doctors have at least a moderate understanding of the FDA’s drug approval process, while just 17 percent reported having at least a moderate understanding of the agency’s medical device approval process.