The pharmaceutical industry spends more money lobbying politicians than any other industry. In the last 20 years, they spent
$4,450,373,773. Those with power and influence can affect, even control decision making. I volunteered at The Center For Study Of Responsive Law with Ralph Nader in 1970 as a senior in medical school. My mentor was Dr. Robert McCleery who had been a practicing surgeon and became so disgusted with the pharmaceutical industry that he gave up his practice and came to DC to address pharmaceutical practices. He became a high ranked official in the FDA during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. The issues he dealt with over 50 years ago are alive and well, even thriving, today. Corporate and big money dollars MUST be prohibited from influencing our government decision makers. An investigation of how the decision was made to approve Aduhelm is vital.
Just a brief follow up. The FDA advisory committee consisted of 11 members. Ten members of the committee voted against approval and one was “uncertain.” Now 3 prominent members of the independent advisory committee have resigned in protest over the decision to approve the drug. The drug will be shipped to more than 900 sites across the country in about 2 weeks. Say what?
The drug was approved when the data is not strong. I imagine the data will get stronger after folks bend over backwards to afford this drug, and take it for a few years. The data using the American public to test it, is the Outcome. The intention is the outcome.
just when you think the FDA and Pharma cannot stoop any lower, they do. Is Medicare decide not to pay for the drug because of the controversial way it was approved?
The pharmaceutical industry spends more money lobbying politicians than any other industry. In the last 20 years, they spent
$4,450,373,773. Those with power and influence can affect, even control decision making. I volunteered at The Center For Study Of Responsive Law with Ralph Nader in 1970 as a senior in medical school. My mentor was Dr. Robert McCleery who had been a practicing surgeon and became so disgusted with the pharmaceutical industry that he gave up his practice and came to DC to address pharmaceutical practices. He became a high ranked official in the FDA during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. The issues he dealt with over 50 years ago are alive and well, even thriving, today. Corporate and big money dollars MUST be prohibited from influencing our government decision makers. An investigation of how the decision was made to approve Aduhelm is vital.
Just a brief follow up. The FDA advisory committee consisted of 11 members. Ten members of the committee voted against approval and one was “uncertain.” Now 3 prominent members of the independent advisory committee have resigned in protest over the decision to approve the drug. The drug will be shipped to more than 900 sites across the country in about 2 weeks. Say what?
Thank you Gene for sharing your informative and dispiriting account. And for your insistence on the possibility and necessity of reform.
What was the FDA's motivation to approve this particular drug?
The drug was approved when the data is not strong. I imagine the data will get stronger after folks bend over backwards to afford this drug, and take it for a few years. The data using the American public to test it, is the Outcome. The intention is the outcome.
just when you think the FDA and Pharma cannot stoop any lower, they do. Is Medicare decide not to pay for the drug because of the controversial way it was approved?