“The agency’s streamlined review system has been blamed for a string of defective devices coming to market, including hip replacements that can leach metal debris into patients’ joints and pelvic mesh that can puncture internal organs. Still, the 42-year-old system persists, in part because of the power of the medical device lobby, which floods Washington with hundreds of lobbyists and millions of dollars.” AP on the FDA’s flawed device pathway. “Unlike new pharmaceuticals, most medical devices reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration are cleared based on similarities to already-approved devices.”