4 ms·
these pharma-companies are paying a big chunk of change to make sure something useful happens when you take those pills. Unfortunately, it's not always clear t
by RK 18y ago
these pharma-companies are paying a big chunk of change to make sure something useful happens when you take those pills.
Unfortunately, it's not always clear that those drugs do work. The problem isn't in the scientific process, but how it's often carried out and reported by the companies, who know exactly what it takes to get FDA approval (this is BIG business). I'm interested in how this process can be improved.
The "alternative/complementary" medicine thing is a red herring, to be polite.
Here's an interesting article that discusses some of the less than ideal ways that pharmacy companies report the science behind the drugs they develop, among other things.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22237 http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22237
I think it's an important and interesting issue that needs to be addressed better (probably by the government).
- omouse 18y agoYou are correct of course. I remember reading about some pill right after WW2 that caused many birth defects but was approved for the public. It is a big business which is precisely why there needs to be an overseeing body. Alternative medicines isn't a red herring, it relates directly to witch doctors. None of these alternative medicines are tested properly in an objective matter to prove that they do in fact work. These people still haven't gotten to step 1 on the stairs of science, while pharma companies are at step 123901823091283 though still need to climb a few more.
- Alex3917 18y ago"None of these alternative medicines are tested properly in an objective matter to prove that they do in fact work." Many have been tested and proven to work. The only reason they are "alternative" is that doctors only prescribe medicines that the pharma companies promote. So they will prescribe people statins to lower their cholesterol, but they would never advise someone to take red rice even though it does the exact same thing with less risk of complications.
- maximilian 18y ago"Many have been tested and proven to work." Are they in the journals though? (i'm asking honestly, i'd be very interested to know)
- Alex3917 18y agoYes, but I'm not an ND or MD so I don't know which journals are reputable and which are not. I get the feeling that research on botanical medicine mostly gets published in the same journals that publish normal pharmaceutical research, it's just that doctors only prescribe things that come in pill form.
- RK 18y agoI meant a red herring in the sense that alternative medicine is not really an alternative to actual medicine.