Every day, there are hundreds of commercials by lawyers chasing patients who may have been victims of drug reactions or medical devices failures or which caused some serious or fatal effect. At the same time, there are countless prescription and over-the-counter drugs commercials which first extol the benefits of the product then , almost as an afterthought, describe all the possible side effects ranging from some minor inconvenience to death. The list is staggering. There are thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of lawyers becoming wealthy suing on behalf of injured individuals while faking concern for the victim.
It may or may not be true that only a small number of such products cause real harm compared to those which may actually help patients, or at least do no harm. Even if this is true, the job of the FDA is to make certain we, the public, are not harmed by food or drug products. My question is, even if the percentage may be low, how can so many harmful, often fatal, products pass what should be, and is purported to be, strenuous testing? The fact that many former FDA officials eventually wind up working for drug manufacturers may be coincidental. Right!
When pharmaceuticals have been approved by the FDA, those responsible for the final approval should be held liable. We expect doctors and hospitals to be perfect and they are usually punished severely, in one way or another, for mistakes they make, An even higher standard of performance should be expected from the FDA. While mistakes made by MD's and hospitals affect an individual, those made by the FDA affect millions of people. This greater responsibility requires a greater assurance of safety.
It may or may not be true that only a small number of such products cause real harm compared to those which may actually help patients, or at least do no harm. Even if this is true, the job of the FDA is to make certain we, the public, are not harmed by food or drug products. My question is, even if the percentage may be low, how can so many harmful, often fatal, products pass what should be, and is purported to be, strenuous testing? The fact that many former FDA officials eventually wind up working for drug manufacturers may be coincidental. Right!
When pharmaceuticals have been approved by the FDA, those responsible for the final approval should be held liable. We expect doctors and hospitals to be perfect and they are usually punished severely, in one way or another, for mistakes they make, An even higher standard of performance should be expected from the FDA. While mistakes made by MD's and hospitals affect an individual, those made by the FDA affect millions of people. This greater responsibility requires a greater assurance of safety.
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