Prescription for Disaster/Preemption and the FDA
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In todays Boston Globe, there was a review of a new book authored by Melody Petersen. The book is entitled" Our Daily Meds: How the Pharmaceutical Companies Transformed Themselves Into Slick marketing Machines and Hooked the Nation on Prescription Drugs." The book describeswhy Americans increased their spending on prescription drugs between 1980 to 2003 from 12 billion to 197 BILLION, a seventeenfold increase. As one might imagine, junkets, grants to medical centers, marketing and lies had lots to do with the dramatic increase. But...we read daily about suicides, heart attacks, depression and a host of other unseemly disorders and side effects related to this increase in the use of prescription drugs.
But...on the other hand, courts nationwide including the Supreme Court now are considering the issue of preemption. The possibility of prohibiting consumers from seeking justice from pharmaceutical companies if a drug ormedical device was approved by the FDA. On the other hand, politicians are calling for increased and improved oversight by the (Bush) FDA.
Imagine this scenario. People continue to become victimized by the drug companies and their deception...and the SC says they have no recourse. What incentive is there for the FDA to be diligent in their oversight responsibility? People continue to die and the concept of accountability...which drives the civil justice system, is rendered ineffectual.
Without both judicial accountability as well as a diligent FDA doing it's job, the consumer will continue to be victimized. But...don't forget to call your doctor and ask if drug XYZ is right foryou!