Drug Decisions Cause Outbreak of Shock

[d.l.Green]

"In the last decade, the public has seen a series of high-profile drugs designed to treat everything from diabetes to heartburn banished from the market, and it was widely believed early last week that the painkillers called COX-2 inhibitors would succumb to the same fate.

"But when two Food and Drug Administration panels narrowly voted on Friday to allow Vioxx to make a comeback - and for Celebrex and Bextra to remain on pharmacy shelves - many doctors and health care activists responded to the decision with shock."

<snip>

"These are weapons of mass destruction," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of consumer watchdog Public Citizen's Health Research Group, referring to the drugs. Wolfe, one of the most vocal critics of the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA, said the decision to leave COX-2 inhibitors on the market "defies common sense."

<snip>

"How would they test it? It would be unethical to give it to people" in a clinical trial now that the heart dangers are known, said Dr. Bruce Psaty, a professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of Washington in Seattle. "The FDA is currently underpowered to get things done that need to be done in terms of safety."


http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/health/ny-hssafe204151940feb20,0,1338399.story?coll=ny-health-print

Exactly, how do they test ANY drug? This is a very profound statement. How is it ethical to test any drug without turning the test subject into a guinea pig??? How was it ethical that they even started these tests in the first place? How is it ethical to even take volunteers who would never know what they're getting themselves into?

[elehhhhna]

1. Ridiculous. Thank God they're protecting us from Canadian drugs.

[Ilsa]

11. Yeah, those Canadians are dropping dead all over the place,

aren't they?

[blueheeler]

2. Why does it matter what they do?

There is no longer any legal recourse in the way of class action so why not put them back out. Funny timing in all of that!!

[crikkett]

5. that's just not true, is it?

I thought that class-action lawsuits were to be filed in Federal court, but not that they were disallowed altogether.

:tinfoilhat:

[blueheeler]

8. you are right

But the reason they did that is the Supreme court does not want to hear those cases at all so chances are they will never hear one.

[EC]

3. Well, if the doctors are upset, all they have to do is not

prescribe them...let them die a slow death...let the companies spend on advertising etc. and waste their money....any doctor that would prescribe them isn't reputable, run from them, they are money worshipers and could care less about your health...

[DemoTex]

4. My internist has stopped prescribing COX-II inhibitors.

None of the partners in his group prescribe them either.

[teryang]

6. Now that the risk is publicized

...the doctor as learned intermediary takes all the liability for making a wrong choice.

So much for malpractice concerns. Drug industry shifts risk to private practitioners.

[zapp]

7. Anyone Notice how this was just after

The signing of the Anti-Class Action lawsuit law by *?

Coincidence indeed....

[NYC]

10. Yes, coincidence.

An interesting one.

[Megahurtz]

9. Anything just to keep the American Public

stupified.:dunce:

[Emboldened Chimp]

12. It's the money, stupid

Big Pharm doesn't give a rat's ass about public health. These bastards would slit their grandmother's throat if it meant another five cents per share.