• Defective Drug Side Effects

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A dozen consumer groups have called on the FDA to examine the scientists on its advisory committees, excluding doctors or researchers with close industry ties from the group.

The advocacy groups sent a letter to the agency saying the FDA should bar people with direct financial relationships to companies that would be influenced by their recommendations. In addition, the group asked the FDA to limit the number of experts with industry ties to half of the panelists saying the agency “must put an end to its promiscuous use of scientists with conflicts of interest and expand the public’s opportunities to participate in the process.”

Last month, a panel meeting was held to decide the future of COX-2 arthritis drugs Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra. The panel voted to allow withdrawn drug Vioxx back on the market, as well as to keep Celebrex and Bextra on the market despite the cardiovascular risks linked to the entire class of drugs.

Ten of the 32 advisers supporting continued sales of the COX-2 drugs had consulted for the drug makers in recent years, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The groups recommended the names of proposed panel members be made public 30 days before any scheduled meeting and that the public be allowed comment on the list prior.