Pfizer Covid Pill’s Fast Signoff Spurs Row Over Skipped Step (1)

The FDA authorized Pfizer Inc.'s pill to treat Covid-19 without first getting input from a panel of clinical advisers, a move public health professionals say could further undermine trust in an agency already facing scrutiny over its rapid decision-making during the pandemic.

Policy analysts say that while the Food and Drug Administration isn’t required to convene an advisory committee meeting before it makes decisions on new products, these public discussions have helped educate Americans on the regulatory process throughout the pandemic. Skipping this step for the Pfizer pill could affect the public’s level of confidence in the potentially lifesaving Covid-19 ...