2 ms·
The workers ("staffed") in the FDA are (mostly, probably) people who want to help but the bureaucrats in charge are part of the political system (e.g. lobbyists
by sidlls 10y ago
The workers ("staffed") in the FDA are (mostly, probably) people who want to help but the bureaucrats in charge are part of the political system (e.g. lobbyists, political insiders, etc.). I think you're conflating the workers of the FDA with the people who, ultimately, guide it and make decisions.
This isn't to say the leadership of the FDA is compromised by or somehow beholden to "Big Pharma" or some such. I certainly wouldn't disagree that we need rigorous demonstrations of efficacy and safety for medicines and devices, but I question in what manner and capacity the FDA is actually structured to pursue that end.
- dfsegoat 10y agoApproval and other decisions in the lifecycle of a drug (it's entire fate basically) are made by committees and panels of physicians primarily. The FDA does it's job well in my opinion and they use a panel system to make sure that no single pipeline / process ensnares a treatment: http://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/ http://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/