For some time, the members of the Injuryboard have been looking at the problems with the FDA. There have also been many posts about the relationship with Pharmaceutical companies and the issues that have arisen with doctors having questionable relationships with those they are studying. Recent disclosures has really now brought everything all together. As the FDA have admitted to not scrutinizing these relationships.
The craziness of this admission is evident. The organization that is in charge of regulating drugs for the country doesn’t think it’s important to look at those doing the testing. There is absolutely no doubt that questionable ties exist. As Dr. Jerome Kassirer, former editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, states “Doctors who have close financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry should not be conducting clinical trials of these drugs,” Dr. Kassirer told me. “And, if you look at the committees responsible for approving drugs, you’ll find that many have such ties.”
It is frightening, that with cases out there that may be preempted due to FDA rulings, that such disclosures don’t satisfy the real issue. There is hope with a new administration that the FDA will get back to doing what it is supposed to. But, until then we need to continue to expose these improper relationships and those who should have been watching for them.
