In recent years we have seen many blockbuster drugs hit the market, make billions of dollars, only to be pulled later for adverse side affects. Cases such as Vioxx and Avandia have become all too common. But why does this occur? How are potentially harmful drugs allowed to make it to market and be sold to millions of people for years before being found unsafe and removed from the market.

All fingers point to the FDA, the agency who's sole purpose is to protect the American public from such cases as these. The agencies excuse for not doing their job and allowing harmful medications to remain on the market until consumer groups, whistleblowers, or private scientists doing independent research raise black flags is that they are undermanned and therefore slow to react.

This excuse just doesn't hold water. There is a difference between being slow to react, and turning your head to increase pharmaceutical companies profits. Slow to react would be 6 months, a year, 2 at most. Avandia has been on the market for 8 years until it received a black label warning just last week for a 43% increase in the risk of heart attack for its users.

Its not a case of being undermanned, it's a case of not biting the hand that feeds you. The FDA receives its funding from the companies who's products they are reviewing. The faster products get to market and the more that are approved, the more money they make.

Until the FDA has no vested interest on the outcome of a product under review, and the people reviewing the medications have no financial ties to big pharma, we will continue to see unsafe pharmaceuticals delivered to the American public.

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