Limiting interactions to two-dimensional settings will hinder collaboration, innovation and the mentoring of younger employees, Merck & Co. CEO Kenneth Frazier says. Frazier, who will retire in June, is looking forward to returning to public service but says "politics with a capital P is not my thing."

In what could be a blow to some aspiring developers eyeing the nascent but growing biosimilars market in China, new rules lay out when extrapolation of approved indications of reference biologics will be allowed, meaning this will not be automatic.

Safety data does not look to be a barrier J&J vaccine’s authorization, but FDA says it will recommend surveillance for further evaluation of thromboembolic events. The agency says it currently cannot rule out a causal relationship with the vaccine. One of these cases prompted a study hold last fall.

Drug makers win one-month reprieve for their nitrosamine risk assessments for new drug products and approved products.