FDA conflict of interest statement from Consumer's Union

[Guest guest]

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> The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Durbin of

> Illinois, requires that the FDA post the names of

> scientific advisers who are granted waivers for

> their conflicts on its Website at least 15 days

> before an advisory committee meeting. It also

> requires that the FDA simultaneously publish the

> nature of those conflicts on its website.

>

> Currently, the public has to file a freedom of

> information request to get the names of the

> companies involved and the amounts paid to those

> scientists for consulting, speaking, doing studies

> and the like. Anyone who has ever filed a FOIA

> request with FDA (or most other agencies in this

> administration) knows that the process can take

> years.

>

> There is one final element to the Senate bill. The

> FDA will have to document its efforts to find

> unconflicted scientists every time they create a new

> advisory panel. While this in itself doesn't change

> anything, it creates an incentive for the agency to

> at least try to find unconflicted scientists since

> the alternative is to file blank reports.

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