The FDA released draft standardized pharmaceutical quality/chemistry manufacturing and control data elements and terminologies in an effort to transform submitted data into a readily usable electronic format. The standardization is expected to improve the efficiency and quality of the drug review process, the FDA said in a notice published in the Federal Register. Comments on the accuracy, suitability and appropriateness of the data elements and terminologies should be submitted by Sept. 9.

The Human Capital Management Coalition petitioned the U.S. SEC to adopt new rules or amend existing ones to require public companies to disclose information about their human capital management policies, practices and performance. The global coalition, which is composed of institutional investors with $2.8 trillion in assets, said effective human capital management is "essential to long-term value creation and therefore material to evaluating a company's prospects."

The House of Representatives passed on a voice vote H.R. 2430, the bill that reauthorizes the FDA user fee programs for the next five years.