Conflicted at Heart

10 Voters on Panel Backing Pain Pills Had Industry Ties (free registration required bien sur)

Ten of the 32 government drug advisers who last week endorsed continued marketing of the huge-selling pain pills Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx have consulted in recent years for the drugs' makers, according to disclosures in medical journals and other public records.

Well, hell. I was really excited about the results of that vote. I don't take any of these medications, but I know plenty of folks who do, some of whom have been taking them for years, and I know what a great job they do on arthritic pain.

Let me talk this out, see how I feel. It's true that a panel of drug advisers with no ties to any of the companies that make any of the drugs is almost impossible to find. It's also true that the restoration of these drugs to the market will mean huge profits for these companies. Thing is, I had already decided myself from the information published that yes, there's a risk there, but it's the sort of risk that can be factored in my your doctor. They can look at you, and your history, and decide if these drugs are too dangerous for you. If your doctor decides that they're not, and that they can significantly improve your quality of life, then I' say go for it.

You know, I'm always glad when I can talk something out in my head like this. Seeing it now, I understand that I think that these drugs should indeed be available to the public. If the vote turned out that way purely because of the greed factor, well, then, I guess I think that the greed factor happened to fortuitously be on the right side of the fence today, and everyone can be happy.