The U.S. Department of Justice may have dismantled its civil division, but that doesn’t mean companies in the life sciences can let their guard down.

Physicians aren’t the only ones who see prior authorization (PA) practices as a significant problem, but John Brooks, deputy administrator at CMS, told a med tech audience that a renewed focus on Medicare Advantage plans’ use of PA will not yield tangible results overnight.

Following a complete response letter last year, Satsuma Pharmaceuticals Inc. received U.S. FDA approval of dihydroergotamine nasal powder to treat acute migraine with or without aura. Branded Atzumi, it is the first product that uses Satsuma’s SMART (Simple MucoAdhesive Release Technology) platform that combines an advanced powder and device technology aimed at making delivery more simple.

Michelle Tarver, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), covered several programmatic areas in a May 1 trade association meeting, such as the CDRH early alert program.

In a significant boost to the Edwards Lifesciences Corp. Sapien 3 platform’s market opportunity, the U.S. FDA approved use of the transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) spoke to an industry meeting in Washington and expressed concerns about the situation at the U.S. FDA, but she also blasted the tariffs put in place by the Trump administration as lacking the proper statutory authority.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it obtained a judgment for a total of $17 million in penalties and disgorgement from a group of individuals and entities charged with investor fraud.

If the April 30 hearing on biomedical research before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is any indication, the Trump administration could face a big challenge if it tries to cut more than 40% of the NIH’s budget in fiscal 2026 as proposed and slap a 15% cap on indirect costs.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will hold an advisory meeting regarding devices for treatment of symptoms for Parkinson’s disease, but the agency indicated that it expects to see longer-term data for these treatments if manufacturers want Medicare coverage.