Although U.S. President Joe Biden has yet to nominate his choice to lead the FDA, his nomination of Xavier Becerra as the next Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary – and Becerra’s Senate confirmation March 18 – could signal a shift to a more conservative approach at the FDA when it comes to approving new drugs and devices.

The administration of President Joseph Biden announced March 17 a $10 billion allocation of funds for testing to reopen schools in the final months of the current school year, a source of revenues that was provided by the recently passed $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The news follows by one day a new FDA policy on screening tests that allows test developers to distribute tests designed to screen those who are asymptomatic without first validating the test for this use, although there are still questions as to whether this new push will yet again crimp vital testing supplies.

Most of the med-tech companies doing business during the COVID-19 pandemic are experienced and already have their FDA compliance systems in place. However, Dennis Gucciardo, a partner at the D.C. office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, told BioWorld that while the FDA will give industry sufficient time to transition their emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to conventional premarket filings, the cost of setting up a quality management system may be greater than some current EUA holders are willing to bear.

The U.S. FDA has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Breath Direct Inc. for its BDR-19 critical care ventilator for the treatment of critical care patients with respiratory insufficiency. Initial shipments of the device are expected within weeks. The EUA marks a major milestone for the fledgling Long Beach, Calif.-based company, which was started by medical device entrepreneur Darren Saravis in the early days of the pandemic.