[Dean's World] Dean: The Vioxx Debacle and the Drug Companies

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dean:
The Vioxx Debacle and the Drug Companies
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1152262122.shtml


   NPR has an [1]interesting timeline of the anti-arthritis drug that was
   recently pulled from circulation.

   I draw two conclusions from the Vioxx debacle (which I think is
   screwed up on multiple levels):

   1) I think it was utterly wrong to withdraw Vioxx from the market.
   While news accounts say this too infrequently, many people responded
   very well to Vioxx and never developed heart problems. Why deny them
   the medication, especially in cases where it worked better than other
   drugs? Why not simply inform patients of the real risks--the bald,
   plain facts--and let them make choices like adults? It infuriates me
   that the FDA treats Americans like retarded children who are incapable
   of deciding for themselves what is and is not an acceptable risk for
   *their own lives*.

   2) One thing more people should be aware of is that the pharmaceutical
   corporations are neither evil nor saintly. They are big corporations,
   period. By definition, big corporations are inhuman, existing to make
   a profit and for no other reason--whatever they tell you in their
   self-serving advertisements.

   Some people would see contradiction in those two statements. I'm not
   sure why though. Both make perfect sense to me.

   (Link via [2]Crazy Hank.)

References

   1. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5470430
   2. http://barnesworld.blogs.com/barnes_world/