FDA HUMAN DRUGS & BIOLOGICS PROGRAMS WILL RECEIVE $3.5 MIL. MORE

Executive Summary

FDA HUMAN DRUGS & BIOLOGICS PROGRAMS WILL RECEIVE $3.5 MIL. MORE in fiscal 1988 than the $150.4 mil. appropriated in fiscal 1987. The additional $3.5 mil. is provided in the continuing appropriations resolution (HJ Res. 395), which Congress passed on Dec. 22. The agency had requested a $10 mil. increase over 1987 appropriations. Under the continuing resolution, fiscal 1988 appropriations would total $4.5 mil. for orphan products programs, an increase of $500,000 over the previous year's funding. The 1988 appropriations also increase spending limits by $1 mil. for the National Center for Toxicological Research, and by $2 mil. for medical device programs. The total 1988 appropriation for FDA salaries and expenses is $450.5 mil. The figure, which was proposed by the House, is less than the $456.2 mil. in appropriations proposed by the agency and the $454.1 mil. proposed by the Senate. Congress appropriated $423.8 mil. for FDA salaries and expenses in fiscal 1987. Congress also added $8.9 mil. to fiscal 1987 funding levels for FDA's efforts against AIDS. With the increase, FDA's 1988 appropriations for AIDS programs totals $24.8 mil., $200,000 more than the agency requested. The increase in AIDS program funding comes as FDA is stepping up its efforts to combat the disease. At a Dec. 15 session of the Food & Drug Law Institute's annual meeting, Commissioner Young announced that the agency is creating two new product review divisions to focus on evaluation of AIDS therapies. An Antiviral Drugs Division will be established under the Center for Drug Evaluation & Research, and the Cytokine Biology Division will operate under the Center for Biologic Evaluation & Research ("The Pink Sheet" Dec. 21, p. 3).