On September 30, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the launch of a “nationwide effort to expand scientific expertise and consumer voices” on the agency’s advisory committees. FDA uses advisory committees to obtain independent expert advice on scientific, technical and policy matters in implementing its public health mission, and these committees are comprised of both voting and non-voting members serving in either an individual or designated representative capacity. Advisory committees are a tool the agency may dawn upon to inform its thinking on a range of matters through independent perspectives and recommendations, including on FDA-regulated products and applications.