On 01/10/2012 10:05 AM, Walter Bushell wrote:
In article ,
James Warren wrote:

This is why the government, not the drug companies, should test drugs.
If drug companies are to do it then they should be closely monitored and
all results published. The problem of "bottom drawer" studies should be
addressed
by ensuring that results of all studies are made public.

But ah, with the amount of money the drug companies can invest in
bribes, winks of job offers and so on, can we really trust the
government to objectively test drugs?

Actually you don't even have to wink, if you have hired civil servants
etcetera who have made favorable rulings at greatly increased
salaries, and perhaps gotten people who ruled against you in the
doghouse. You don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind
is blowing.

One thing is that side effects are under reported and even if you tell
your doctor, the doctor may well blow off the complaint with "That
drug does not cause that." or "You getting old, deal with it." and so
on.


That's why good studies have control groups and group membership is not
known to anyone until the end of the study.

--
-jw