FDA Approved Cocaine
By Amit Singh | Friday, November 26th, 2010 | PolicyMost consumers in the US put their blind faith into large federal bureaucracies which do not make their lives any better or safer. The media has made us keenly aware of the recent TSA overreach which the govt justifies by “making us safer”. But there is a constant stream of counter-productive measures taken by our regulatory agencies. The most recent one is from the FDA where they actually approved an organic herbal tea with cocaine in it.
While I will chalk the latest FDA folly to shear incompetence, they also intentionally keep other products off the shelves, often spending 10 years or more to approve life saving drugs. Then with a press release, the FDA will claim that the newly approved drug will save 10,000/year without mention that 100,000 probably died waiting for the drug.
Proponents of the FDA will claim that without such an agency evil Capitalist witch doctors will sell innocent dumb citizens fake elixirs and poisons for a quick profit. Nevermind that consumers will stop being so dumb and won’t buy cancer cures off the back of a pickup truck and 3rd party watchdog/consumer rating groups will do a much better job of testing and tracking foods and drugs than the government could ever hope to do.
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12 Responses to "FDA Approved Cocaine"
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Now here’s something we can agree about. FDA needs some serious reform.
Cut federal funding for the FDA by 40% would be a great start.
A new mandate would be helpful. Tell them EXACTLY what you want them to do.
Propulsid (Cisapride) is the best drug for reflux. Nothing else even comes close. FDA issued a warning letter to doctors, and cisapride was voluntarily removed from the U.S. market on July 14, 2000. The FDA has been removing medications from the US market for sometime. The FDA wants all medications sold to US consumers to be “perfect”.
If I wish to purchase the best medication for reflux, I should have the freedom to do so.
UNITY!
@James, why only 40% (other than its more politically viable)? the biggest barrier to legitimate watchdog groups from existing in this domain is the FDA itself. We have 3 agencies that monitor our credit rating and probably several dozen that rate car safety and electronics quality.
Your position is absurd. Only a handful of consumers in the world are in any position to investigate pharmaceuticals and make an informed decision to about its safety. Human trials take time. While I am sure mistakes have been made I am glad that FDA is there protecting the general welfare. Just look at the global problem of counterfeit prescription. This is one function of government we need.
@Ghost, the innovations required to fight counterfeit prescriptions are not going to come from a federal bureaucracy. if you’re really worried about the problem let those who stand to lose the most (i.e. the pharmaceuticals themselves) figure out how to prevent it.
to your other point, every drug has side affects and the current trial methods are insufficient in detecting them before they are used by the public. also, Big Pharma uses the FDA as a lawsuit shield by outsourcing what they should be doing.
Amit,
Have you ever heard about a drug called Thalidomide?
As for Big Pharma using the FDA as a lawsuit shield, tell that to La Roche Group, the manufacturers of Accutane.
There is no question that the FDA needs reformation. But part of that reform requires more funding, not less. I would prefer to have a government agency that is presumably accountable to the President and the Congress testing my drugs rather than rely on a multinational conglomerate like La Roche Group.
@Ghost says “Your position is absurd. Only a handful of consumers in the world are in any position to investigate pharmaceuticals and make an informed decision to about its safety.”
Those dedicated against the free market make the most absurd arguments, utterly disconnected from reality. Private agencies certifying drug safety would employ experts in their field, as do other agencies which exist today. Think UL and Consumer Reports do not employ engineers? The FDA is responsible for millions of deaths, not only because it is slow to approve drugs, but also because it denies medicine to even terminally ill patients if the drug is not efficacious for enough of the population – even if it could save lives for many.
@HisRoc, are you referring to the Thalidomide that the FDA approved and then took over a year to ban after it was well known to cause severe birth defects? point taken.
Amit,
No, I was talking about the Thalidomide that was approved by the FDA after seven years of study only as a treatment for certain skin lesions (leprosy) under strictly controlled conditions because of the known danger of birth defects.
You are referring to the Thalidomide that was approved in Great Britain as a sedative for pregnant women before it was discovered to cause birth defects.
You can buy thalidomide in local pharmacies.
Why 40% decrease.? Because federal spending needs to be cut 40% , would think 10% a year for 4 years would be a reasonable goal. Should help in credit markets too.
@HisRoc The FDA can test your drugs on 60% of its current budget. What else do you want them to do ?
Medicine delivery systems vary around the world. Since I have a Colombian wife, I spend a lot of time there. There are NO prescription medicines in Colombia. Anyone can buy anything without a prescription in a Colombian pharmacy. Wonder how that system would work here. Colombian pharmacists are excellent doctors by the way for most normal minor problems.
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