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GUEST: Peter Lurie, Deputy Director of the Health Research Group at Public Citizen

Last week, a member of Public Citizen testified before Congress on what is being called a “growing crisis” at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is a government agency charged with overseeing safety regulations for most types of foods, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics, and medical products. But Sidney Wolfe, the director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group says the organization is suffering from a crisis in leadership, a lack of congressional oversight and a dangerous reliance on the pharmaceutical industry to bankroll its operations. Several recent decisions by the FDA to hasten approval of drugs with glaringly serious side effects, highlight these problems. A significant percentage of FDA doctors and physicians have reported feeling pressured to submerge their scientific opinions and approve sales of problematic drugs. Additionally, the FDA has sharply reduced the number of warning letters it sends to companies using prescription drug advertising that is deemed illegal.