FDA's New Patient Engagement Advisory Committee

Perspectives

FDA's New Patient Engagement Advisory Committee

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BIG NEWS AT FDA
Heather Gabel
 
 
Have you ever received a new app or tool for diabetes management and felt in the dark on how to use it? The interface might not be user-friendly, there might be too many options, not enough, or irrelevant ones. For one reason or another, the technology simply doesn't serve your needs. 
 
Technology can be difficult to use because it is developed by people who are fully immersed in the world of tech. They know the algorithms and code, but we have the experience. As users, we know what we want and need. And, when our tech doesn't do what we need it to, we hack in! #WeAreNotWaiting 
 
What if we, as patients and consumers, had a say in how diabetes-related technologies were developed? What if we could share our thoughts and help shape landscape of diabetes gear before it hits the market? 
 
Great news! We now can! 
 
The FDA has put out a call for nominations to create a patient engagement advisory committee! This is a first for the FDA and we should celebrate it as a huge win for the patient community. Our devices will be vetted at the FDA level by others like us.
 
We have more power at the table, our voices are louder. 
 
Want to learn more about the FDA's new committee? Check out this DiaTribe article
 
If you could tell FDA one thing about the development of diabetes technology, what would you say?