FDA, Drugs and Life Expectancy

Discussion in 'Science & Society' started by vze4p6c2, Jul 9, 2007.

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  1. Oli

    Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    11,888
    Then you either haven't looked at the budgets or you've mis-read them

    Then you believe incorrectly.

    Just LOOK at the label - "possible side- effects" - they don't happen to all people and the warning is right there on the label.

    Some things are so obvious that certain people ignore them in favour of their own theories.
     
    Oli, Jul 11, 2007
    #41

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  3. Fraggle Rocker

    Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    It was comments like these that got this discussion exiled to the Pseudoscience ghetto, from which it has been subsequently rescued. It was beginning to look more like a conspiracy theory than a scientific discussion. This is a scientific forum and there's no reason this can't be a scientific discussion, even with all the attendant controversy.

    Side effects are a risk. Surely if you call yourself a scientist--or just a person who's interested in science like most of us--you must understand the statistical nature of risks? Almost everything has potential side effects. The relevant question is: What is the probability of occurrence?

    Have you looked these drugs up the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference)? Do you even own a copy? Do you know what the incidence of these side effects were in the test group? Have you performed a rational risk analysis? Compared the consequences of the side effects against the benefits of the primary effects, assessed the economic, emotional, or other value of each possible outcome, weighted them by probability of occurence, and calculated an Expected Value?

    Medications are released for marketing after a proper risk analysis, which is well documented and available to anyone who wants to buy a cheap copy of last year's PDR at the nearest discount bookstore, or just go to the library. Side effects of even mild severity are usually down around the 2-3% probability range. Most of us will accept a 2% chance of diarrhea and vomiting against a 98% chance of curing an illness that would have kept our great-grandparents off work for months.

    Your credentials for making statements like the above are absolutely ZERO if you have not done some homework that challenges the statistics in the PDR, or even challenges the methodology of the clinical trials. Science and Society is a place for scientific discussions, as its name implies. You are not contributing to the quality of this discussion, but merely trolling your personal prejudices, which goes against the purpose and policies of this website.
     
    Fraggle Rocker, Jul 12, 2007
    #42

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  5. Stryder

    Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    It might be a good idea to give the title a little tweaking however as it might come across "woo-woo".
     
    Stryder, Jul 12, 2007
    #43

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  7. Fraggle Rocker

    Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Well done. I hated thinking of myself as a Holocaust Denier.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
    Fraggle Rocker, Jul 13, 2007
    #44
  8. Faerynght

    Faerynght Registered Senior Member

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    Here is the link for the Office of Human Research Research and ethics surrounding clinical trials and risk versus benefits ratio, adverse event reporting, and requirements as a investigator that uses experimental agents or off label use of agents after IND designation is given to an agent.

    http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/

    The reason they list every possible side effect on a drug is due to the fact that if it is not listed then the company that manufactures the agent/product will be liable if you expire. You will or could encounter side effects or events with anything that you consume.

    I think that many people think that vitamins/natural products are healthier for them, this is a misconception nature produces many things that are very harmful when consumed. Things like Ma huang (ephedrine) and kola nut which were sold in herbal diet formulas and contribute to serious adverse events.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ephedra/NS_patient-ephedra

    http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_2_7/ai_85523002

    Many of our newer cancer agents are developed from nature

    http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/scs/chimia/2004/00000058/00000010/art00004

    http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/reprint/22/10/2015

    http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/summary/112511316/SUMMARY?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

    Though the FDA has problems like any other government agency there are times when it is effective and productive within the guidelines established by OHSR. here is an overview of the FDA to clarify some misconceptions over the role of the agency.
    http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/fda101/sld001.html

    FDA has also incorporated Fast Track and Priority Review on some pharmaceutical agents which could benefit many patient populations and allows trials to be conducted quickly, but that also increases risk.

    http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/onctools/Accel.cfm

    http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentr...ack.aspx?ComponentId=13016&SourcePageId=13060

    The FDA and EMEA both work together especially when collaborating for fast track approval agents, the guidelines and roles of both agencies are very similar when you compare them.

    http://www.emea.europa.eu/

    There is so much information and it is difficult for me to focus fully at this moment so I am sorry if this is a bit scattered.
     
    Faerynght, Jul 13, 2007
    #45
  9. TruthSeeker

    TruthSeeker Fancy Virtual Reality Monkey Valued Senior Member

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    15,162
    I was surprised when I went to the FDA site. I thought they would say their mission is to "protect and promote the interests of the pharmaceutical industry's elite by the means of bribes and political influence"...

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    TruthSeeker, Jul 13, 2007
    #46
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