The FDA is intensifying scrutiny of its processes and communications. Officials plan to present data suggesting links between Covid-19 vaccines and child deaths at an upcoming CDC advisory committee meeting, though experts caution reliance on unverified VAERS reports. FDA's top drug regulator denied claims of abandoning controversial advisory committee meetings amid this scrutiny. Simultaneously, the agency issued draft guidance encouraging development of non-opioid pain treatments, signaling openness to expedited pathways despite inherent clinical complexity. These regulatory moves reflect ongoing efforts to balance safety, transparency, and innovation vigilance.