FDA Panelists at the Upcoming Social Media Public Hearing

Only the following 13 FDA panel members will be able to ask questions during this week's public hearing on the use of social media by the pharmaceutical industry:

• Thomas W. Abrams - Director, Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications (DDMAC) - Center for Drug Evaluation, and Research (CDER)
• Kathryn J. Aikin - Social Science Analyst, DDMAC - CDER
• Rachel E. Behrman - Deputy Director, Office of Medical Policy (OMP) - CDER
• Gerald Dal Pan - Director, Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology - CDER
• Kristin Davis - Deputy Director, DDMAC - CDER
• David J. Horowitz - Assistant Commissioner for Policy, Office of Policy, Planning, and Budget - Office of the Commissioner
• Ele Ibarra-Pratt - Branch Chief, Advertising and Promotional Labeling Branch - Center for Biologics Evaluation Research
• Jean-Ah Kang - Special Assistant to the Director, DDMAC - CDER
• Sharon Kapsch - Chief, MDR Policy Branch - Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH)
• Dorothy R. McAdams - Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer, Division of Surveillance - Center for Veterinary Medicine
• Seth S. Ray - Associate Deputy Chief Counsel for Drugs and Biologics - Office of the Chief Counsel
• Robert Temple - Director, OMP - CDER
• Deborah Wolf - Regulatory Counsel, Office of Compliance - CDRH

This is a formidable list. Aside from Jean-Ah Kang, the only person on this list who has been featured on this blog is Robert Temple (see "Temple vs. Nissen: Blood Rematch"). As one commenter to a Pharmalot post put it: "Somehow I can't work up any empathy for Dr. Temple. His 25 years at the FDA have coincided with the deterioration of the agency.

The FDA has organized two staging areas for speakers in order to facilitate getting on and off stage:

(1) Reserved rows in the front left with assigned seats, and

(2) an "On-Deck" section on stage.

"On-deck" speakers will led to the podium like cattle to slaughter! Sorry, I am in a dark mood. But I am doubtful that such a well-oiled machine will be conducive to dialogue. Perhaps some of the FDA panelists will make it to one of the "Tweetups" planned on Thursday evening (see www.fdasm.com). That kind of interaction would be valuable.