LA Supplemental

  • by: |
  • 03/23/2007
Today's New York Times editorial page thinks that the FDA should be 100% funded by legislative appropriations. Here we go again.

First, a correction that you will not see in the Gray Lady:

The Times writes that PDUFA fees “help finance the approval process …”

True, but not accurate. PDUFA fees finance the review process. A trivial, rhetorical difference? Certainly not.

So what’s the big deal where the money comes from? Two big reasons:

(1) Reality. Does anybody even remotely familiar with the funding history of the FDA really believe that Congress is going to fund the agency at anywhere near appropriate levels? Indeed, if history is any guide, the reverse would occur.

(2) Alacrity. With PDUFA fees come PDUFA dates. Is our short-term memory so bad that we have already forgotten the shameful days of the “drug-lag?” Yes, folks – it was real.

And to add to their revisionist view of pharmaceutical regulation, the New York Times agrees with many of the agency’s critics that, if only the FDA worked harder, they could replace “conflicted” advisory committee members with ones equally talented and more pure.

Malarkey.

Ladies and Gentlemen – mediocrity is not an option.

When legislators try to rewrite history we suffer the inevitable consequences.
CMPI

Center for Medicine in the Public Interest is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization promoting innovative solutions that advance medical progress, reduce health disparities, extend life and make health care more affordable, preventive and patient-centered. CMPI also provides the public, policymakers and the media a reliable source of independent scientific analysis on issues ranging from personalized medicine, food and drug safety, health care reform and comparative effectiveness.

Blog Roll

Alliance for Patient Access Alternative Health Practice
AHRP
Better Health
BigGovHealth
Biotech Blog
BrandweekNRX
CA Medicine man
Cafe Pharma
Campaign for Modern Medicines
Carlat Psychiatry Blog
Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look
Conservative's Forum
Club For Growth
CNEhealth.org
Diabetes Mine
Disruptive Women
Doctors For Patient Care
Dr. Gov
Drug Channels
DTC Perspectives
eDrugSearch
Envisioning 2.0
EyeOnFDA
FDA Law Blog
Fierce Pharma
fightingdiseases.org
Fresh Air Fund
Furious Seasons
Gooznews
Gel Health News
Hands Off My Health
Health Business Blog
Health Care BS
Health Care for All
Healthy Skepticism
Hooked: Ethics, Medicine, and Pharma
Hugh Hewitt
IgniteBlog
In the Pipeline
In Vivo
Instapundit
Internet Drug News
Jaz'd Healthcare
Jaz'd Pharmaceutical Industry
Jim Edwards' NRx
Kaus Files
KevinMD
Laffer Health Care Report
Little Green Footballs
Med Buzz
Media Research Center
Medrants
More than Medicine
National Review
Neuroethics & Law
Newsbusters
Nurses For Reform
Nurses For Reform Blog
Opinion Journal
Orange Book
PAL
Peter Rost
Pharm Aid
Pharma Blog Review
Pharma Blogsphere
Pharma Marketing Blog
Pharmablogger
Pharmacology Corner
Pharmagossip
Pharmamotion
Pharmalot
Pharmaceutical Business Review
Piper Report
Polipundit
Powerline
Prescription for a Cure
Public Plan Facts
Quackwatch
Real Clear Politics
Remedyhealthcare
Shark Report
Shearlings Got Plowed
StateHouseCall.org
Taking Back America
Terra Sigillata
The Cycle
The Catalyst
The Lonely Conservative
TortsProf
Town Hall
Washington Monthly
World of DTC Marketing
WSJ Health Blog