> Do you have data on the number of people who die because the FDA has not approved a drug that may save their life?
That question wasn't directed at me, but finding out some data wouldn't be too difficult - you'd look up what life saving medicines had come to market since the stricter FDA regulations were enacted, what year the medicine entered trials, how many people died while they were in FDA trials before release. You could come up with some rough numbers for that, but the FDA doesn't post any information on added costs and deaths during trial periods. Obviously the safety trials save some lives, but the efficacy standard the FDA has is extremely high and adds millions and years to costs.
> I would be more comfortable with point 4 if we once again banned prescription drug advertisements.
The tough question is for drugs that people not be aware there's solutions for - erectile dysfunction, for instance. A lot of men just assumed that was something you had to live with when you got older before Viagra came out. Advertising for Viagra was probably a win for everyone involved - it educated doctors and patients that it's available, and obviously men and their partners were quite happy with its effects.
So some advertising definitely has positive benefits, but I see what you're getting at with snake oil claims if the FDA isn't as strict about playing gatekeeper. Something to think more about.
I think the effect of eliminating the efficacy standard would just be to shift the cost from one that is paid upfront by the company and then borne by the consumer to one that is wholly borne by the consumer. The cost of finding effective treatments would not be reduced, but just more hidden in the cost of having the market weed out more medications, misinformation around claims, etc. Just look at the supplementation market which the FDA does not regulate much. How many people waste their money chasing claims that have little or no effect?
That question wasn't directed at me, but finding out some data wouldn't be too difficult - you'd look up what life saving medicines had come to market since the stricter FDA regulations were enacted, what year the medicine entered trials, how many people died while they were in FDA trials before release. You could come up with some rough numbers for that, but the FDA doesn't post any information on added costs and deaths during trial periods. Obviously the safety trials save some lives, but the efficacy standard the FDA has is extremely high and adds millions and years to costs.
> I would be more comfortable with point 4 if we once again banned prescription drug advertisements.
The tough question is for drugs that people not be aware there's solutions for - erectile dysfunction, for instance. A lot of men just assumed that was something you had to live with when you got older before Viagra came out. Advertising for Viagra was probably a win for everyone involved - it educated doctors and patients that it's available, and obviously men and their partners were quite happy with its effects.
So some advertising definitely has positive benefits, but I see what you're getting at with snake oil claims if the FDA isn't as strict about playing gatekeeper. Something to think more about.