Drug Backlog Unclear Due to Shutdown, But Could Set FDA Back Months

Consequences of the partial government shutdown won’t be entirely clear at the federal drug agency for about two weeks and it could take months for employees to catch up.

The Food and Drug Administration is slowly seeing drug applications trickle in since the shutdown ended Jan. 25, its leader Scott Gottlieb said after an event at the Bipartisan Policy Center Jan. 28. The shutdown was the longest in U.S. history and cost the economy $11 billion, according to a Congressional Budget Report released Jan. 28.

Drug companies haven’t been able to submit new applications since the partial shutdown began Dec. ...