Advisory Committees help the FDA to review new drug approvals. These organizations are generally made up of around a dozen experts in a broad field of medicine, such as endocrinology, reproductive health, or medical imaging. Membership typically includes one (voting) member with ties to consumer interests and one (non-voting) member with ties to industry interests. While these committees do not ultimately decide whether or not a new drug is approved, they provide the FDA with expert recommendations and perspectives, helping regulators to better understand how a new drug is viewed by the professionals most likely to use it. Between 2001 and 2010, the FDA approved about 88% of applications supported by advisory committees and rejected about 86% of drugs not supported by advisory committees.

The Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee, or ODAC, is the advisory committee responsible for making recommendations concerning new cancer drugs. Its membership includes experts in general oncology, pediatric oncology, hematologic oncology, immunologic oncology, biostatistics, and other related fields.

You can find more information about ODAC HERE.