Beth Weinman is a member of the firm’s life sciences regulatory & compliance practice group. She focuses her practice on FDA regulation and enforcement of laws governing pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, cosmetics and dietary supplements.

As a former lawyer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Beth brings valuable perspective to clients who turn to her for representation in government investigations, assistance with internal compliance investigations, FDA enforcement actions, product recalls and other agency engagement strategies.

Clients frequently look to Beth for representation when facing government investigations or engaging with FDA on regulatory compliance matters, particularly in connection with alleged manufacturing practice violations or inappropriate marketing. She has extensive experience representing clients in False Claims Act (FCA) and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) investigations, internal compliance investigations, and other enforcement actions before state and federal regulators. In addition, she regularly counsels clients through product recalls and withdrawals, responses to 483s and warning letters, and matters regarding marketing practices, manufacturing practices, data integrity issues and good clinical practices. Beth also represents clients in administrative litigation.

Prior to joining Ropes & Gray, Beth spent nearly eight years as Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement within FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel. In that role, she worked closely with FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Justice and other government agencies to investigate and, when appropriate, prosecute alleged violations of the FDCA and related crimes (e.g., mail fraud, wire fraud, health care fraud, and conspiracies to defraud) under Title 18. She also worked on numerous parallel and independent FCA investigations involving FDA-regulated drugs and devices, and has significant experience in opioid-related investigations. 

Before starting at FDA, Beth spent more than seven years as an associate in the litigation department of a large New York law firm, where she represented several pharmaceutical companies in government investigations and securities class-action lawsuits, among other matters.

Experience

Investigations

  • Represented global medical device manufacturer in parallel FCA and FDCA investigation into allegations of reporting failures and manufacturing practice violations, leading to DOJ declination.
  • Represented global medical device manufacturer in parallel FCA and FDCA investigation into manufacturing practice and consumer deception allegations.
  • Representing an individual and university in connection with a criminal investigation related to research fraud and use of an unapproved device
  • Representing an individual in an ongoing criminal prosecution alleging conspiracy to defraud FDA in connection with drug manufacturing issues.
  • Representing an international pharmaceutical distributor in an ongoing criminal investigation into potential violations of the FDCA and state laws governing wholesale distribution of prescription drugs.
  • Representing individual in FCA investigation related to regulation of HCT/Ps
  • Led an internal compliance investigation for a U.S. pharmaceutical client in connection with manufacturing and data integrity issues at foreign facility.
  • Led internal investigation into alleged cGMP and QSR violations in connection with manufacturing of combination product.
  • Represented a U.S. medical products client in connection with multiple federal parallel criminal and civil  investigations involving alleged cGMP and QSR violations .
  • Prepared client for questioning by FDA in connection with device investigation that lacked an investigational device exemption.
  • Counseled medical device manufacturer regarding potential civil and criminal exposure associated with cGMP compliance issues at manufacturing site.
  • Counseled medical device manufacturer regarding potential civil and criminal exposure associated with data integrity issues in preclinical research. 

Medical Devices

  • Representing a global device manufacturer in an assessment of potential enforcement risk associated with device nonconformity, and also advising regarding recall strategy.
  • Representing medical device manufacturer in internal investigation and strategic engagement with FDA regarding field action.
  • Counseled medical device manufacturer through recall negotiations with FDA that resulted in a labeling correction rather than a product removal. 
  • Represented and counseled client through self-report of compliance issues impacting multiple product categories and implementation of remediation plan.
  • Counseled multiple clients through emergency use authorization process for decontamination systems for personal protective equipment and for diagnostic tests in connection with COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Advised client in connection with device importation.

Pharmaceuticals/Biologics

  • Advise multiple clients on responses to FDA Form 483 observations
  • Regularly counsel clients regarding advertising and promotional issues.
  • Represented pharmaceutical client in connection with challenge to an FDA clinical hold imposed on a Phase II trial.
  • Advised client in connection with potential regulatory challenge and litigation options in connection with agency denial of certain labeling claims.
  • Counseled rare disease drug manufacturer in connection with offering compassionate use access to an investigational drug.
  • Counseled pharmaceutical client in connection with outreach to FDA on question about compliance with unclear regulation.
  • Counseled client regarding OTC monograph compliance in connection with hand sanitizer.

Other Products

  • Advised cosmetics company regarding FDA labeling requirements in connection with defense in state and federal consumer class action.
  • Advised cosmetics company in connection with potential recall scenario
  • Advised produce company in connection with potential recall scenario.

Areas of Practice