The extended testing required by FDA is the reason America was one of the few countries that didn’t have a bunch of thalidomide babies.
But of course that success and others are never weighed against the many that have died because of delays in making drugs available.
Personally, I’ve always thought it made sense to allow voluntary experimentation on people for whom there is otherwise no successful treatment.
“Here’s a not yet thoroughly tested drug that may cure you. On the second hand, it may kill you. On the gripping hand, if you don’t take it you’ll definitely be dead within the week.”
To my mind, that’s pretty much a no-brainer. Decisions on whether to use the drug or not in this way should be left up to patients and their doctors. With careful attention paid to women of childbearing age, for obvious reasons.
This would of course require changes in our liability laws, or drug companies would never allow their products to be used in this way.
OK, that is a reference you don't see much. Love the tertiary logic.