grad school rant of the day.
five (!) finals down (biostatistics part 1 & 2, regression analysis, healthcare finance, healthcare management and org behavior) and one to go (a basic healthcare structure and policy survey course — looking forward to more policy and research-centric classes next semester). after the policy final tomorrow afternoon, just two short-ish papers (and a few more espressos) stands between me and a decent winter break. which i need to spend internship hunting, but who cares!
so.
current rant of the day: pharmaceutical companies do not need to prove drug efficacy against current market alternatives to gain approval from the FDA. clinical trials test for efficacy against placebos, and that the benefits outweigh the risks.
WHAT.
HOW IS THIS OKAY? even if you are creating a me-too, generic drug, it should show at LEAST the same efficacy as what is on the market currently (maybe with a small variance to account for a decreased price point and improved access). there is a disincentive for drug companies to create innovative drugs that actually improve health outcomes.
i know, i know, too much government regulation = bad but come on, get it together FDA!
