11-12-2016, 12:28 AM
JoeH wrote:
I particularly noticed the bit about cutting the red tape at the FDA. That concerns me as it is one of the protections we have against drug manufacturers cutting corners producing the drugs we use.
I get to hear about some of the attempted corner cutting from a sibling who works there. An example that comes to mind is one company filing to change the formulation of the inert filler and binding materials used in making a commonly used drug. That application was denied, at least one of the proposed "inert" ingredients was well known to not be inert in the presence of another component of the drug. Apparently the company had not even bothered to check with their own pharmacological chemists first, someone in manufacturing just wanted to use a cheaper material.
The inert ingredient problem is present in the EPA as well. Companies do not have to test their active ingredient in combination with the inert ingredients. Nor do they have to test for what their active or active plus inert chemicals degrade into. I would hope the FDA has far better testing rules for products meant for human consumption.