Five Un-Easy Pieces of Pharmaceutical Policy Reform
10 Pages Posted: 18 Jul 2013 Last revised: 24 May 2014
Date Written: August 2013
Abstract
Improper dependencies slant policy over a drug’s life span, biasing the development of new drugs, the testing and marketing approval for new drugs, and the monitoring of patient safety after drugs are marketed. This article examines five ways in which the public improperly depend on pharmaceutical firms that compromises the integrity of pharmaceutical policy. Today the public relies on pharmaceutical firms: (1) to set priorities on drug research and development; (2) to conduct clinical trials to test whether drugs are safe and effective; (3) to decide what clinical trial data to disclose to the public; (4) to monitor post marketing drug safety; (5) to supply product information to physicians and to finance continuing medical education and other professional activities. The article suggests options to overcome each of these dependencies.
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