FDA and its Games on Supplements: Can FDA be trusted?
Oh boy, let's talk about the wild relationship between the FDA and those big Pharma companies. I'm not a big conspiracy theory guy; I don't believe in those too much. But I know what I know, and I'm not going to create a theory here. I'm just going to tell you what I already know and what other people already talk about, and pretty clear evidence about it. So what about these big Pharma and FDA, are they BFFs or what? I mean, in the 11th grade, we learned about how the different branches of the government keep each other in check like it's some kind of balancing act. Right, and I'm not going to be political here. I hate to be political; I want everybody to be friends, you know? There's nothing to fight about. But what about the FDA and these multi-billion-dollar drug giants? They only exist in the US. Did you know that?
Like these companies who are founded even in other countries, they thrive in the US. They do the best in the US; it's like their best place to grow, a petri dish for these bacteria. Is there some secret handshake going on there? Here's a doozy for you. Ever scratching your noggin and wondering why the FDA claims they don't regulate supplements, but then they jump right in and like a kid in a candy store? It's like they're telling us that they are on a diet while they are munching on a piece of cake. "Oh no, we don't regulate supplements," they say. Bam! They're all over the multivitamins that you thought were your secret weapon. And probably it is. It's like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole, my friends. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, up pops another surprise.
Now let's dive into another wild episode of FDA's greatest hits. Picture this: you have found a supplement that works wonders, the secret elixir that's got you skipping down the lane like you're on cloud nine. But faster than you could say vitamin, the FDA jumps into action. Out of the countless supplements out there, they start to cherry-pick the ones that people talk about, that are working, looking for them, and surprise, surprise, your beloved supplements get snatched right out of the market. And now, isn't that convenient for our pals at the big pharma? Their wallets continue to swell as our hero, the humble supplement that you trust is booted out of the race. It's the classic plot of a soap opera, folks. The villain prevails, leaving us hanging onto our popcorn, waiting for the next twist in the tale.
Come on, let's spill the beans on how drugs get approved. Alright, because I'm in the game, I'm a physician. It's like a little dance between the pharma company and the FDA. The company has this theory, right? They say, "Oh well, let's do something about it. Let's do some testing." And if the FDA gives them the green light, boom! Clinical trial time. Okay, let's do it. We're talking about doctors, and scientists evaluating the effects and side effects like a bunch of medical detectives. But let's not forget the money talk. It costs those pharma peeps a hefty chunk of change to get their drug approved.
Wait a minute, it's a government agency. It's like you're going there for a notary, and the government is the only one that can give you the notary. And suddenly, that notary that used to be free or very inexpensive, now you have to pay half of your yearly income. "Oh, okay, well, FDA has a different level of review, right? From standard to Priority, depending on how much that drug is changing the game, according to them." Well, where things get interesting, people are raising eyebrows about whether the FDA is playing fair. Are they truly unbiased in their approval process? What do you think? Did you ever look into their approval process? Some studies claim that there might be some funky business going on. Here's where the plot thickens; that's just the tip of the iceberg, my friend. Keep digging, and who knows what you'll find about this FDA and big pharma relationship? So, keep staying curious. We're going to dig deeper, we're going to find out, and I'm going to pass to you, everything I find as we go about the relationship between big pharma.
Most recently, they took a generic medication that we used to use off-label to treat Cushing's Disease. They tweaked the molecule a little bit, and now the reps are coming to my office saying that this is better than the generic that we used to use for no price. Now they're saying, "Oh, it is $1,000, it works better, it is FDA approved, that's why you must use this." Excuse me, what's the difference? I see none. See, a lot of people with gout used to take this. It used to be like aspirin, super pretty inexpensive. Somebody said, "Oh, you know what? I'll just tweak it a little bit and I'm going to go for an FDA approval." And next thing you know, $1,000 drug again. Well, what changed? Well, the FDA says, "Well, that one is not FDA approved. What we approved is the one that's $1,000." Okay, why is $1,000? Who is sharing that money, right?
As a physician, I hate these games that the FDA is playing and getting the pharmaceutical companies rich. And when it comes to natural supplements, they say they don't control it, but the next thing you know, they're like, "Oh, we're going to ban this, we're going to ban that," and you're like lost. You don't know who to believe. I don't blame you. I am the same way. I'm like, I lost trust in the system. I'm trying to trust people, trying to do the right thing, but this is the game you're playing.
So until then, stay healthy, stay happy, guys, keep that smile, give a clap, and I'll see you in the next article.
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