Expedited programs for drug development and approval

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long recognized the key role it plays in ensuring patients have timely access to safe and effective drugs. Over the past 25 years, FDA has developed multiple programs, including Fast Track, Accelerated Approval, and Priority Review, to expedite the development and review of new drugs for the patients who need them. With the passage of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) in 2012, FDA has an additional tool to foster efficient drug development, Breakthrough Therapy designation. Building on past successes, like Fast Track, Breakthrough focuses on early collaboration and communication between drug developers and FDA. These programs reflect the growing recognition that robust scientific drug development must also be efficient and as timely as possible. FDA continues to look for opportunities to streamline drug development, especially in areas with unmet need, while focusing on those products that show real promise to positively impact patients' health.