Comments on: Off-label drug use is…good?!?! http://healthcare-economist.com/2006/06/29/off-label-drug-use-isgood/ An unbiased look at today's health care issues Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:15:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jerry Tsai http://healthcare-economist.com/2006/06/29/off-label-drug-use-isgood/comment-page-1/#comment-291 Jerry Tsai Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:36:59 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/2006/06/29/off-label-drug-use-isgood/#comment-291 With respect, and revealing that I have trained as a biostatistician and as someone who could benefit financially from drug approval work, I disagree. We already have prominent examples of how drugs not assessed for efficacy (or effectiveness) would fare in the market -- the substances known as "complementary or alternative medicines". Unfortunately, people in general are quite gullible and are generally willing to believe ridiculous health claims for just about anything, whether it is noni juice, St. John's wort, etc. They spend their money on In an ideal society, people would be better educated as to the efficacy of substances they take. But as long as there are plenty of charlatans and snake-oil sellers out there, it is a public good to make sure that drugs are not simply approved for safety, but for efficacy as well. With respect, and revealing that I have trained as a biostatistician and as someone who could benefit financially from drug approval work, I disagree. We already have prominent examples of how drugs not assessed for efficacy (or effectiveness) would fare in the market — the substances known as “complementary or alternative medicines”.

Unfortunately, people in general are quite gullible and are generally willing to believe ridiculous health claims for just about anything, whether it is noni juice, St. John’s wort, etc. They spend their money on

In an ideal society, people would be better educated as to the efficacy of substances they take. But as long as there are plenty of charlatans and snake-oil sellers out there, it is a public good to make sure that drugs are not simply approved for safety, but for efficacy as well.

]]> By: Michael F. Cannon http://healthcare-economist.com/2006/06/29/off-label-drug-use-isgood/comment-page-1/#comment-290 Michael F. Cannon Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:48:54 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/2006/06/29/off-label-drug-use-isgood/#comment-290 Curious to know Healthcare Economist's email address. Curious to know Healthcare Economist’s email address.

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