Hey Bill,
Nice to see you back. So sorry re your hospital stay.
I think the patient advocate on a FDA AdComm should be educated and trained/experienced in the disease for which the drug is under consideration and have day-to-day experience with the disease. My "ideal" would be a CFer who is also a doctor or has a master/doctor in a science field. But I'm sorry, someone who has a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography and starts a consumer advocacy group doesn't cut it for a patient "ADVOCATE". And this individual voted "no," based on something the FDA said was not required: The FDA said you can vote "no," it doesn't provide added benefit or Kalydeco and still vote "yes," it should be approved. And yet this individual stated that they felt they had to vote no because of their earlier vote. And this individual was the only no vote even though the entire day included very strenuous questioning by others who are educated and trained in the area. I don't think "just" a mom would be a good advocate for the advisory committee. That's what the patient/public comments are for. Moms (or dads if they are doing the care 24/7) will "know" their kids better and know when something is wrong or when something isn't working, but won't (absent the education, science, training, etc.), be able to analyze the data the way the advisory committee is suppose too, although they'd be able to know when something isn't logical. But I know another CF mom who has the masters in science and reads and understands all the research. She'd be another ideal.
Best
Love