FDA Updates: Retina Trials and Regulatory Pathways

William M. Boyd, MD, director of the FDA’s Division of Ophthalmology, discussed the agency’s evolving approaches to clinical evidence, trial design, and expedited regulatory pathways at the 2026 Retina World Congress meeting.

By
Matthew Solan, senior writer
May 14, 2026
6 min

Retinal Physician

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1

Dr. Boyd discussed evolving FDA approaches to retinal therapeutics.
2

Sham injections may introduce bias but are not banned.
3

AI is used for data collation, not decision-making.
4

Real-Time Clinical Trials program aims for quick data access.
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National Priority Voucher Pilot will shorten review timelines.
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Single pivotal trials require robust statistical evidence.
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Focus on therapies for rare diseases highlighted.

Original Source(s)

Retinal Physician

FDA Updates: Retina Trials and Regulatory Pathways

by Matthew Solan, senior writer
May 14, 2026

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