# 087 - From Crime Reporting to Regulatory Affairs and On/Off The Record with Ferdous Al-Faruque

- Show: [Let's Combinate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate)
- Published: 2023-05-31
- Length: 39m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letscombinate/episodes/087---From-Crime-Reporting-to-Regulatory-Affairs-and-OnOff-The-Record-with-Ferdous-Al-Faruque-e238laj

## Summary

Ferdous Al-Faruque, known as Danny, Senior Editor at RAPS, discusses his transition from crime reporting to covering medical device and pharma regulations, including his work on FDA user fee negotiations and digital health. He explains the journalistic rules of engagement, detailing the distinctions between off-the-record, on-background, and on-deep-background conversations to protect sources while maintaining credibility. Al-Faruque also outlines his editorial process at RAPS, emphasizing the importance of independent reporting, ethical standards, and the operational challenges of covering complex regulatory trends like gene therapy and digital health with limited resources.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=0) Introduction: Ferdous Al-Faruque and RAPS
- [1:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=95) From Crime Reporting to Regulatory Journalism
- [7:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=464) Editor vs. Writer Roles and Story Selection
- [12:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=765) Journalistic Rules of Engagement: Background Levels
- [22:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=1355) Ethics, Source Protection, and Encryption
- [27:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=1661) Writing Process and Editorial Workflow at RAPS
- [37:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-05-31-087-from-crime-reporting-to-regulatory-affairs-and-on-off-the-record-with-ferdou#t=2256) Current Trends: Gene Therapy and Digital Health

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- RAPS (company)
- FDA (other)
- EMA (other)
- PGP (tool)
- GPG (tool)
- Windows XP (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#341: What NOT to say to FDA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-10-25-341-what-not-to-say-to-fda) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [Part 1: The Theranos Loophole & Lab Developed Tests](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-02-10-part-1-the-theranos-loophole-lab-developed-tests) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [Shaking Things Up: What's Next for the Global Medical Device Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2021-12-16-shaking-things-up-whats-next-for-the-global-medical-device-podcast) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#340: LDTs & the FDAs Proposed Ruling](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-10-19-340-ldts-the-fdas-proposed-ruling) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [How Jon Speer Met His Most Frequent Guest: Mike Drues](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2020-08-26-how-jon-speer-met-his-most-frequent-guest-mike-drues) (Global Medical Device Podcast)

## Citing this page

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