Before responding to a World Health Organization (WHO) request, the FDA is seeking comments on the abuse potential and diversion of 26 drug substances, including lisdexamphetamine (Vyvanse, Shire plc), tapentadol (Nucynta, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.) and tramadol (Ultram, Janssen). WHO will consider the FDA’s response in determining whether to recommend international restrictions on the substances, many of which are not approved for medical purposes in the U.S. The FDA will accept comments through Jan. 29, 2014.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reiterated its recommendation, first made in 2011, that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) make more specific anticipated spending information available to developers of medical countermeasures (MCMs). Providing estimates would allow biotechs to better target R&D to fulfill countermeasure priorities, the GAO said. While HHS has developed spending estimates for priority MCMs for internal planning, it hasn’t made them public. HHS officials told the GAO they were hesitant to provide estimates because they don’t want to create the expectation that the estimates would reflect final contracts. However, the department plans to include the spending estimates in the next phase of its Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise plan, which should be available in September 2014.