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Expedited Approval Pathways

Meaning

Expedited Approval Pathways are specialized regulatory programs instituted by national health authorities to significantly accelerate the review and approval process for new drugs, biologics, or medical devices. These pathways are reserved for therapies that treat serious or life-threatening conditions and demonstrate a clear potential to provide a substantial improvement over existing treatment options. Examples include the FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy and Priority Review designations, which aim to deliver transformative treatments to patients much sooner than the conventional review timeline. While accelerating access, these mechanisms maintain rigorous standards for evidence of product safety and efficacy.