VA, FDA work together to accelerate medical device innovation, advance care for all Americans

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Food and Drug Administration announced a collaboration that aims to accelerate the time it takes for medical innovations to reach Veterans and non-Veterans alike.

As a part of this partnership, FDA staff will co-locate with VA staff at the VA Ventures Innovation Institute in Seattle.

Working side by side, FDA staff will focus on the regulatory science — the science for evaluating the benefits and risks of new products — while VA staff will provide clinical context for test development, hands-on training for product developers and other immersive experiences. The resulting tools and training will provide innovators with straightforward, reproducible and cost-effective testing methods throughout the product development cycle.

“By working side by side, VA and FDA will leverage our combined strengths and expertise to bring the most promising health care technology innovations to Veterans — and Americans at large — faster than ever before,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, M.D. “Additionally, the co-location in Seattle will allow us to tap into important health care-adjacent technology markets. We look forward to working closely with the FDA to improve the health and wellness of Veterans and all Americans.”

“Both the FDA and VA need to stay at the forefront of new medical technology development and the science of evaluating new technology. This strategic alignment between our organizations creates a unique environment to achieve shared objectives for accelerating patient access to safe, innovative and effective medical devices,” said Director of FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health Jeff Shuren, M.D. “We are eager to gain valuable insight from VHA clinicians and scientists using a real-world perspective, and we look forward to working with our federal colleagues to help ensure Veterans and all Americans have access to the most innovative medical solutions and technologies to improve their health and quality of life.”

This partnership, formalized Sept. 22, will equip innovators with standardized tools to help test the safety and efficacy of their products during development. Visit VA Ventures to learn more.