4 ms·
Far more people die because of drugs the FDA does not approve, when compared to deaths avoided by it, despite anecdotal evidence of the contrary.
by necessity 10y ago
Far more people die because of drugs the FDA does not approve, when compared to deaths avoided by it, despite anecdotal evidence of the contrary.
- woodruffw 10y agoWe hold people and groups accountable for the things that they do, not the things that they don't do (except in cases where inaction is a form of action). It's wrong to rob someone, but it's not wrong to be afraid of stopping a robber as a bystander. It's not a good thing that people die because of the FDA's long approval process, but it's not blameworthy in the same way that death and suffering caused by hastily approved medicines (like thalidomide) is.
- maxxxxx 10y agoThis may change once the barrier for market entry is lower. What would stop suppliers from flooding the market with dangerous drugs? I am sure there are areas where the FDA can be improved but we should be careful.