Featured Issue Briefs
The Battle on the Home Front: Jonathan Gadsden's Story
Marine Lance Corporal's story reflects the growing need for new antibiotics that can treat dangerous diseases, against which most drugs are useless. Read More
Facilitating Medical Device Innovation: De Novo Reform
The de novo process -- which requests lower-risk reclassification of medical devices and entry into the marketplace -- as it exists now is not achieving its purpose and has instead added unnecessary and time-consuming requirements. Read More
Food Products Recalled by FDA
Since President Obama signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act into law, at least 149 FDA-regulated food products have been recalled due to potential pathogenic contamination. Read More
More Issue Briefs
| Date | Issue Briefs | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 18, 2008 |
Cost of Foodborne IllnessFoodborne illnesses carry with them significant economic and social costs that extend far beyond the immediate victim. More info |
Food Safety |
| May 20, 2009 |
Curing Credit Card PenaltiesCongress is set to enact new legislation that will make credit cards safer and more fair for consumers. As lawmakers negotiate final details before President Obama can sign the bill, new analysis from the Pew Health Group highlights the importance of a safeguard found only in the Senate’s version of the law. More info |
Credit Cards |
| Dec 1, 2008 |
Defaulting on the Dream:ArizonaOne in 18 homeowners in Arizona is estimated to be in foreclosure by the end of 2010, as a result of a subprime-related loan. Years of easily accessible credit and relatively low home prices that facilitated homeownership in the state have ended, leaving in their wake stricter lending terms and stagnating home appreciation. More info |
Consumer Financial Security |
| Apr 17, 2008 |
DeniedAn issue brief on the lack of access to federal loans by community college students. If you need to take out a loan for college, it is tough to find a better deal than a federal student loan. More info |
Consumer Financial Security |
| May 8, 2011 |
Did You Know? Get the Facts on Antibiotic ResistanceUp to 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used on industrial farms in healthy food animals, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. This makes the U.S. one of the biggest users of antibiotics in food animal production in the world. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Jun 26, 2013 |
Drug Development for Limited Populations: A New Proposed PathwayThe lack of new antibiotics and the rise in drug resistance have rendered some serious and life-threatening infections untreatable, and the health care community is searching for ways to bring innovative new drugs to patients whose treatment options are limited or nonexistent. More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Aug 3, 2010 |
Drug Safety and Accountability Act of 2010The Drug Safety and Accountability Act of 2010 (S.3690) seeks to strengthen industry standards to ensure the quality and safety of drugs made for the U.S. market, and to improve the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) oversight abilities through modernized information systems and new authorities, such as the power to order a drug recall. More info |
Drug Manufacturing and Distribution, Drug Safety |
| Jul 27, 2010 |
Effects of Banning the Use of Antibiotics as Growth Promoters in Denmark and ScandinaviaA listing of major reports and journal articles regarding the effects of banning the use of antibiotics as food animal growth promoters in Denmark and Scandinavia. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Jun 22, 2012 |
Facilitating Medical Device Innovation: De Novo ReformThe de novo process as it exists now is not achieving its purpose of streamlining the path to move new devices onto the marketplace and has instead added unnecessary and time-consuming requirements. More info |
Medical Safety |
| Nov 18, 2008 |
FDA Actions Regarding Produce SafetyFor more than a decade, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the challenge of making fresh produce safer. However, it has relied on voluntary guidelines. This document summarizes a decade of government initiatives that fall short of the mandatory and enforceable federal safety standards needed for domestic and imported fresh fruits and vegetables. More info |
Food Hazards |
| Jun 10, 2009 |
FDA Globalization Act of 2009: Drug Safety ProvisionsThe Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009 (H.R.759) seeks to secure the safety of imported prescription drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients through greater FDA authority and manufacturer responsibility, and increased inspections of prescription drug and active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing sites abroad. More info |
Drug Manufacturing and Distribution, Drug Safety |
| Nov 19, 2008 |
FDA Responsibilities and ResourcesCharged with responsibility for keeping 80% of the nation's food supply (including fresh produce) safe, the FDA receives less than 25% of federal dollars spent on food safety activities. More info |
Food Safety |
| Nov 12, 2010 |
Federal Reporting Requirements on Payments to Physicians: Impact on State LawsWith the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010, all U.S. manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies covered under government-funded insurance programs are now required to report certain information to HHS. This fact sheet describes how these federal reporting requirements affect comparable state disclosure laws. More info |
Conflicts of Interest |
| Mar 23, 2010 |
Federal Reserve Issues Final Rules on Gift CardsThe Federal Reserve Board issued its Regulation E Final Rule on gift cards as required by the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. The Pew Safe Credit Cards Project submitted a letter to the Federal Reserve during its proposed rule comment period requesting that the Fed consider limiting the amount of any such monthly fee. More info |
Credit Cards |
| Apr 11, 2012 |
Focus Group Findings on Prepaid Debit CardsThis fact sheet focuses on the lessons learned from consumers who purchase and use prepaid debit cards. More info |
Checking, Credit Cards |
