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Regulatory Expert Files Citizen Petition Urging FDA to Address 13-Year Delay in Conflict-of-Interest Policy

On March 26, 2026, Professor Sarfaraz K. Niazi filed a formal Citizen Petition with the FDA, urging the agency to finalize conflict-of-interest guidance for its advisory committees.
The Government Accountability Office found the FDA failed to meet a statutory mandate under the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act for more than 13 years without providing a completion timeline.
Data shows advisory committees recorded more than 120 recusals and over 50 waivers between 2018 and 2024, demonstrating operational significance of conflict-of-interest determinations in high-stakes regulatory decisions.
By submitting through Regulations.gov, Niazi asserts the delay constitutes "unreasonable delay" under the Administrative Procedure Act, triggering mandatory agency response; copies were shared with Congressional oversight committees.
The petition requests that the FDA establish a definitive timeline, publish interim evaluation criteria, and implement independent oversight mechanisms to strengthen transparency in advisory committee governance.

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Regulatory Expert Files Citizen Petition Urging FDA to Address 13-Year Delay in Conflict-of-Interest Policy

CHICAGO, March 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarfaraz K. Niazi, Ph.D., adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago and a regulatory science expert, today announced the filing of a formal Citizen Petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under…

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