[thursday727]

[perceptrons]

Originally Posted by Simulcast

I can see that. We should abolish the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, or at least severely limit the power they have to stop these sort of alternative endeavors.

That seems rather extreme to me.

[Simulcast]

Originally Posted by perceptrons

That seems rather extreme to me.

It is pretty extreme, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered.

[perceptrons]

Originally Posted by Simulcast

It is pretty extreme, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered.

What exactly is so bad about the FDA and the Department of Agriculture?

[Simulcast]

Originally Posted by perceptrons

What exactly is so bad about the FDA and the Department of Agriculture?

Overall both seem like a big waste of money. Farm subsidies are a real problem as well.

[David87]

Originally Posted by Simulcast

I can see that. We should abolish the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, or at least severely limit the power they have to stop these sort of alternative endeavors.

You act as if Big Pharma and other ridiculously wealthy special interests couldn't/ wouldn't find ways to spend money to prevent alternative endeavors from coming out if there was no pesky regulatory body.

[Simulcast]

Originally Posted by David87

You act as if Big Pharma and other ridiculously wealthy special interests couldn't/ wouldn't find ways to spend money to prevent alternative endeavors from coming out if there was no pesky regulatory body.

They are free to spend their money as they wish. At the end of the day though, they can't pass laws, impose fines, or jail people for making alternatives available. Only the government can do that.

[David87]

If those were the only things standing in the way, then abolishing entire government departments might be somewhat sensible.

But they're not. And it's not.

[Simulcast]

Originally Posted by David87

If those were the only things standing in the way, then abolishing entire government departments might be somewhat sensible.

But they're not. And it's not.

What else is standing in the way? When Big Pharma loses the ability to use the government as a means of regulating in their favor, what would they do instead?

[perceptrons]

Originally Posted by Simulcast

Overall both seem like a big waste of money. Farm subsidies are a real problem as well.

Why are they big wastes of money? I agree that there are issues with farm subsidies though.

[TK]

Originally Posted by JZebrak57

I'm not totally familiar with this situation or the potential drug, but coming from someone who is currently studying pharmacy, the FDA and its regulations are disgustingly inefficient. They can't even ensure safety of products anymore (i.e. the Meningitis breakout from the compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts), let alone perform research on potentially life-changing medications. Like it was said above, a lot of it has to do with the profitability of the pharmaceutical market and a decrease in that if everyone were completely healthy. It's actually sad.

What would you have the FDA do in regards to independent pharmacies compounding? I'm not sure you completely understand the role of the FDA considering your next sentence.

Originally Posted by Simulcast

I can see that. We should abolish the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, or at least severely limit the power they have to stop these sort of alternative endeavors.

I can't tell if you're being serious or not but abolishing the FDA would be an unbelievably stupid thing to do.

[RyanPm40]

Random fun fact of Lyme disease: It is a larger epidemic than AIDs, Avian Flu, and West Nile combined, when judging by the CDC's estimates of total annual reported cases and unreported cases.

(I like people to be informed. Also explains why this issue gets me so angry. Even Mitt Romney is quoted telling Virginia voters that he would do everything he could to stop the "Lyme Disease Epidemic")

http://www.anh-usa.org/lymedisease/

Quote:

The number of Lyme disease cases in the United States has doubled since 1991. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that there are nearly 325,000 new cases each year—making Lyme disease an epidemic larger than AIDS, West Nile Virus, and Avian Flu combined.

[Simulcast]

Originally Posted by TK

I can't tell if you're being serious or not but abolishing the FDA would be an unbelievably stupid thing to do.

Why? Would companies suddenly start poisoning their products? How well did the FDA perform its function during the recent outbreak of meningitis in vaccines?

[RyanPm40]

Originally Posted by Simulcast

Why? Would companies suddenly start poisoning their products? How well did the FDA perform its function during the recent outbreak of meningitis in vaccines?

Maybe because they regulate our drugs and determine drug classes... they prevent humans from being poisoned and addicted haha it is highly necessary, ours is just corrupt. Without the FDA, any Joe Shmo can hand out tablets of cyanide and say it cures the common cold, no? Companies may not purposely poison their products, but they'd be able to push them out faster before proper testing. Recalls and lawsuits would happen all over.

[Simulcast]

Originally Posted by perceptrons

Why are they big wastes of money? I agree that there are issues with farm subsidies though.

That's one reason. The other is that government agencies are inherently wasteful. It would be much better if the FDA functioned as a non-profit organization like the Better Business Bureau.