Politics Has Too Much Influence on the FDA - 800 Words

Politics Has Too Much Influence on the FDA The FDAs origins according to the official FDA web page â€Å"came into existence when Lewis Caleb Beck, who worked in the patent office and was hired to head up a newly created position which the original function was to carry out chemical analysis of agricultural products for the Department of Agriculture in 1848 â€Å"(About FDA). The main thought behind the creation of this agency was to provide safe guidelines and researching and testing agricultural patents before they were placed in the marketplace. As the government itself has grown and evolved, the legislature has used its power to influence the outcome of whether a drug or food product is released to the public and how quickly that process is†¦show more content†¦This clout grows and affects the lack of autonomy in our personal choices. Are we truly safe with the FDA in charge of what we consume or are we pawns in the political machine? â€Å"The way things are done thr ough the FDA isnt as much if the product is safe, but whether a government official has a vested interest. The congressmans interest could lay in a personal matter such as a family member could benefit from the new drug or it could have political ties to his home constituents. Either way, the strings are being pulled in spite of the chance that the product could have potentially dangerous side effects â€Å"(Inside the FDA loc 3016). â€Å"Pharmaceutical companies have a lot of money invested and push the FDA to approve their applications: â€Å"For example, since the 1938 legislation placed the burden of proof on the FDA when it came to challenging or delaying drug approvals, the agencys actions depended primarily on its budget. Larger budgets from politicians could engender greater scrutiny and more challenges of new drugs. Instead of reputations facilitating such power, increased budgets and the pursuit of the agencys mission could also explain agency actions during 1944-61 â €Å"(FDA). â€Å"The Revitalization Act of 2007 further empowered the FDA. Legislation aimed at strengthening the US Food and Drug Politics are also played out in the media and indirectly influences whether an application is approved or removed such asShow MoreRelatedDirect Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising ( Dtcpa )1312 Words   |  6 Pageshealth of U.S. citizens, the prices of prescription drugs and health care, and doctor-patient relationships (Ventola). This paper will discuss the historical and political lens of DTCPA: how and why changes to DTCPA were made in the past, how current politics suggests a possible change to decrease or limit future DTCPA could be accomplished, and specific regulatory aspects that require more attention. 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