suhre@trwrba.UUCP (Maurice E. Suhre) (11/08/85)
In the last month or so there have been some editorials about
AIDS treatment and the FDA drug licensing/approval procedures.
I'm sorry I can't give exact dates, but they were quite interesting.
It does seem to me that the FDA positions are sorely lacking. It is
one thing to have a half dozen or so tranquilizers on the market and
want to be cautious about allowing a seventh on just because it may
have a few less side effects. It is another thing to tell people
that there is no known treatment that we have approved and you
will have to accept your fate. The fact that some treatments
being tried in other countries seem to show some promise is
not factored in to the decision process (or so it seems).
The WSJ observes that this mentality has resulted in a "black
market" for what would normally be called ethical drugs (as
distinguished from recreational drugs).
If this subject has been beat to death in net.politics, my apologies.
I did not intend for this to be a debate topic, but merely a pointer
to a point of view.
Maurice
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