Monday’s dose is a barometer for what’s ahead. There’s split opinion on the FDA, a thumbs up for research from the Vatican, and a possible ‘NICE’ softening in the UK.

— A new poll by Lilly and Research!America finds that the public is pretty evenly divided over the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process. When asked whether the FDA should move faster (despite risk) or move slower (to better assess safety), 52% agreed with the former and 48% with the latter. (Pharmalot)

— The Vatican’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, is calling last week’s announcement of a cell with synthetic DNA “interesting.” Noting that the researchers didn’t create life — rather, they “replaced one of its motors” — the article said “Genetic engineering can do good: It is enough to think that it could heal chromosome-related diseases.” (CNN)

— The UK’s new coalition government published its policy aims on Friday, including among them a revamp of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). “A Program for Government” describes moving “to a system of value-based pricing, so that all patients can access the drugs and treatments their doctors think they need.” The stated position is a seemingly stark contrast to NICE’s current emphasis on cost-effectiveness. (WSJ)

— The UK’s General Medical Council (GMC) handed down its punishment of Andrew Wakefield today, striking him from the medical register and revoking his license to practice medicine. In January, the GMC said that Wakefield, who wrote a retracted 1998 paper linking autism to MMR vaccination, acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in his research. Meanwhile, a study out today finds that multiple vaccinations, even within the first year of life, have no effect on later childhood mental skills. (The Guardian, Reuters)

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