While the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bill is definitely an improvement over current legislation, it still leaves much to be desired. Currently, the FDA approves drugs that are not thoroughly tested – long-term treatment studies take place after approval. Unfortunately, the bill doesn’t change that, but it does mandate an additional review seven years after a drug’s approval according to a release from Consumer’s Union. However, if drugs were approved after long-term studies it would reduce the incidence of dangerous side effects, including the need for drug rehab to treat addiction.

But there is good news: Results of studies will be made available in a new clinical trials database so the public can easily see what’s happened when the drug has been tested; negotiations between the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA will be made public; and the FDA will have the power to review drug ads to ensure they’re not misleading.

Perhaps the best news of all is the limitation on conflict of interest. Currently, the panels that approve drugs to go to market often include several members who have financial ties to the drug manufacturer. It would be nice to think that those financial ties did not influence their decision, but it’s not realistic. The panels will now be limited to only such member. Let’s hope that member isn’t everybody else’s best friend. Also, the FDA has routinely waived the conflict of interest laws in the past. The new bill will put an end to that as well.

There are actually two bills on the floor – one for the House and one for the Senate. The Senate bill has already passed, and the two bills will have to be reconciled. Let’s hope the toughest restrictions are held in place during that process. It’s high time the FDA started protecting consumers so we can reverse the alarming trend of drug rehab admissions for prescription drug addiction.

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