I don't agree with your petition at all!

First, the letter only applies to medicines that treat type-2 diabetes, so it will not slow down a cure for type-1 at all.

Second, there have been a couple of drugs which actually got approved for type-2 diabetics which had bad side effects in terms of raising the chance of heart attacks.  The FDA reacted to these  problems by fixing their process: by requiring the drug companies to do testing focused specifically at heart risks.  That is the right thing to do! 

Prior to these new regulations, type-2 diabetic drugs could be approved after clinical trials lasting only 3-6 months.  That's nuts!  Those drugs are typically taken for years (maybe even decades).  Requiring them to be tested for a year is long over due.  The extra time is required to get a statistically valid sample of heart risk.

If we want a safe drug supply in this country, the FDA should go farther, and require post-approval  (called "postmarket") safety testing lasting as long a the expected use of the drug.  That is basic common sense.  That would shake out a lot of safety issues before people got hurt, without slowing down drug approvals.  But in the mean time, the FDA's rule change is a good step in the right direction.  In my opinion.

Joshua Levy