Deputy Director Gordon Johnston will depart from OGD Jan. 1 following acceptance of an associate position at Lachman Consultant Services. Johnston will be joining former OGD Deputy Director and Lachman VP Robert Pollock. OGD Labeling and Program Support Division Director Jerry Phillips begins a new post at the end of November as associate director for medication errors in the newly established Office of Post-marketing Drug Risk Assessment ("The Pink Sheet" Nov. 2, p. 6). Phillip's vacated position will be filled by Consumer Safety Officer Robert West. Division of Chemistry II Director Frank Holcombe will become OGD acting associate director for chemistry, and will be replaced by Florence Fong

All medtech in Brazil will soon be subject to standardized industrial tariffs and development-related fiscal incentives, following a reform of rules relating to ICT across all industries.

The first vaccine for the new coronavirus has entered the clinic, with US firm Moderna leading the race.