Uploaded August 2013 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
When the FDA fastracks a drug, it speeds the process of evaluation so the drug can come to market sooner than normal. While big pharma pays a lot to have this happen, the amount is nothing compared to the profits from early sales. Ironically, the fees paid by big pharma make up something in the range of 20% of the FDA's budget. This sets up a conflict of interest because the FDA becomes trained to depend on this income.
Big pharma should never be allowed to pull the financial purse strings of the FDA...all funds charged for services should go to an independent agency that is unconnected with big pharma.
The FDA already fastracks drugs. Now it appears that the drug companies want a special category of drugs, those used to treat cancer, to have a more routine access to fastracking. Makes good financial sense, doesn't it! It would rarely make good sense for patients. If we want to do better to treat cancer, the NIH should be supporting more research dollars for those therapies that cannot be patented but have been around for decades or more and seem to hold promise! For more information please visit doctorsaputo.com
When the FDA fastracks a drug, it speeds the process of evaluation so the drug can come to market sooner than normal. While big pharma pays a lot to have this happen, the amount is nothing compared to the profits from early sales. Ironically, the fees paid by big pharma make up something in the range of 20% of the FDA's budget. This sets up a conflict of interest because the FDA becomes trained to depend on this income.
Big pharma should never be allowed to pull the financial purse strings of the FDA...all funds charged for services should go to an independent agency that is unconnected with big pharma.
The FDA already fastracks drugs. Now it appears that the drug companies want a special category of drugs, those used to treat cancer, to have a more routine access to fastracking. Makes good financial sense, doesn't it! It would rarely make good sense for patients. If we want to do better to treat cancer, the NIH should be supporting more research dollars for those therapies that cannot be patented but have been around for decades or more and seem to hold promise! For more information please visit doctorsaputo.com
