What organization controls prescription drugs in the United States? Why the FDA of course! But wait a minute there are some things we do not know. Forget about the lobbyists from pharmaceutical companies who bestow large amounts of money to maintain an edge with government agencies. A bit on television yesterday discussed how the National Institute of Health (NIH) drives the FDA. What they say goes. They are the guiding light as to what the FDA will accept.

Eight of the nine scientists working for the NIH on cholesterol lowering drugs have direct financial connections with the companies that manufacture them. Some 200 NIH scientists have direct financial connections with various drug companies. Drugs approved by the NIH dictate what the FDA approves.

This is just one more element to the prescription drug problem in our country. Some might say “more power to the scientists”! Others might thing that this is not ethical. When ethics are involved with money then anything goes – until government decides that this is not legal and you are caught. Until then more power to the NIH! Your scientists deserve everything they get and the public will continue to pay in more ways than one!

Here is an article about drugs in our country. Please note the last paragraph. It applies to the middle class of the United States regardless of what profession you are in. You just have to replace a few words. Instead of “research and development” use “manufacturing”, “programming”, and … well you get the idea.

http://www.forbes.com/home/healthcare/2005/01/10/cx_da_0110doomdrugs.html

I am sure that some people out there do not condiser this subject to be a problem. This would be no suprise. Try talking to a few retired people about drugs they need but cannot afford.