News and views from day two of the BIO Digital annual meeting include the increasing number of small companies driving US product approvals, an update on the Reagan-Udall RWE Accelerator project and Merck & Co.'s Julie Gerberding on the need for continued HIV/AIDS research.

News and views from day two of the BIO Digital annual meeting include the increasing number of small companies driving US product approvals, the US FDA's Patrizia Cavazzoni on science vs. emotion at advisory committees and Merck & Co.'s Julie Gerberding on the need for continued HIV/AIDS research.

The year began with an unusually low number of CRLs, but a recent burst of non-approval actions suggests a COVID-19 effect.