Washington Outlook: Capital Wrapup

REGULATION

The Food & Drug Administration is learning that giving people what they want doesn't always make them happy. Under pressure from the White House, the fda last year gave in to industry demands that it supplement its staff by using outside reviewers to assess some drug applications. The change was designed to speed product approvals. But now pharmaceutical companies seem to have developed cold feet about using the new procedures. "No company wants to be first, because they think their review will be held up," says a top fda official. "It's real annoying."