FDA Turns to AI to Speed Up Drug and Food Safety Reviews

Big changes may be coming to how medications and foods are approved in the U.S.—and artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a major role. The FDA recently announced plans to integrate AI tools to help review new drug applications, medical devices, and food safety data faster than ever before.

One of the tools in development, called Elsa, works similarly to ChatGPT and could help the FDA sift through hundreds of thousands of pages of data to flag concerns, summarize reports, and even determine which facilities may need inspection. The hope? To get effective treatments and safer foods to the public faster—especially for rare or neglected conditions.

FDA officials say their goal is to reduce the lengthy approval process from months (or even years) down to just weeks. This could be a game changer for patients waiting on lifesaving treatments.

What This Means for You:

• Quicker access to new medications

• Stronger food safety regulations

• Increased scrutiny of artificial dyes and additives in U.S. foods

While the FDA acknowledges that AI tools like Elsa are still evolving—and must be double-checked due to occasional inaccuracies—this move marks a significant shift in how the agency approaches modern healthcare.

At Palisade Pharmacy, we’re keeping a close eye on these developments so we can continue offering you the safest, most effective treatments available. Have questions about new medications or your current prescriptions? We’re here to help—stop by or give us a call anytime.