Today's forecast: Cloudy judgment
I suppose we should be glad that the FDA recognized that it needed to change the way its advisory committees are set up at all. But the actual amendments they implemented seem more like a halfhearted attempt to appease the increasingly angry and suspicious public than they are about real change. Last month, the agency announced that they would be imposing stricter limits on financial ties that members of its advisory committees may have with the companies involved in the decisions being made at the committee meetings. Apparently, they think capping the financial interest at $50,000 meets that "strict" criteria. According to the article I read, "If an advisor's personal financial interest is greater than $50,000, he or she won't be allowed to participate in the meeting. If the financial interest is less than $50,000, the FDA may grant a waiver…" I don't know about you, but if I had $50,000 at stake in something, my judgment might be a bit clouded. But, then again, for a profit-mongering organization like the FDA, 50 grand is little more than pocket change, so it makes sense that they wouldn't see that level of potential profit as a conflict of interest. Or maybe -- and this is the thought that still sends shivers down my spine -- they just don't care. Source:
"FDA introduces new advisory committee rules," HealthDay (www.healthday.com), 8/5/08 | 
