Chairman Rick Scott to Convene Hearing on FDA Regulatory Processes, Rare Disease Treatment Delays, and Opportunities to Improve Patient Access to Innovation

On Thursday, February 26, Chairman Rick Scott of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging will convene a hearing entitled "From Regulator to Roadblock: How FDA Bureaucracy Stifles Innovation." This hearing will explore how regulatory processes and evolving standards at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can unintentionally delay patient access to safe and effective therapies, particularly for individuals living with rare diseases. Members and expert witnesses will share the life-altering impacts of these delays on patients and their families. The hearing will also explore opportunities to improve regulatory clarity and predictability, discuss how an efficient review process that puts patients first can strengthen U.S. biomedical leadership and ensure that lifesaving therapies reach patients faster.

This hearing follows a November 2025 letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary expressing the committee's interest in understanding how the agency is supporting innovation in rare disease drug development and increasing the speed and number of rare disease approvals. Chairman Scott remains committed to ensuring that the FDA fulfills its mission to protect patients while fostering innovation and maintaining America's leadership in biomedical research.

Additional details, including witness information and livestream access, will be available at aging.senate.gov.

WHEN: Thursday, February 26, 2026

9:30AM ET

WHERE: Hart Senate Office Building, SH-216

WATCH: Live broadcast online HERE.

NOTE: Chairman Scott invites members of the public, patient organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders to submit statements for the record.

Written submissions must not include personal identifying information and should be emailed to: [email protected].

Please note, all statements must be received by 5:00PM ET Thursday, March 5, 2026, to be included in the official hearing record.