They were the same ones who swore there would be no side effects. I guess they forgot about “wonder drugs” like thalidomide, Phen-fen and Vioxx.
There was another thread about this drug this morning about how further research has indicated it covers more strains than originally thought.........and was posted by one of the aforesaid nanny staters who was defending the merck researchers......
The FDA didn't approve Thalidomide until last year. It was distributed in the US in the 1960s on an "investigational basis," in accordance with what was then law, while the FDA rejected its application for approval again and again. After Thalidomide's teratogenic effects were discovered, the laws were changed, granting the FDA more power in such matters. Last year, the FDA approved Thalidomide for certain uses, but not on pregnant women of course.
Both the FDA and Canada Health have approved Vioxx for sale. The Canadians noted that it's no more dangerous than ibuprofen. But Merck will not bring it back to market for fear of litigation. They don't want trial lawyers getting rich off their hard work--a very conservative position, I think. Meanwhile, people who are in pain are gulping down other NSAIDs with no idea what they're doing to their hearts.
Fen-Phen was a combination of approved drugs. The combination was not approved by the FDA. Each component, if I remember correctly, caused valvular disease at a very low rate. The off-label combination of the two is what made the heart disease rate really noticeable. Mixing pills with booze, with or without the booze, is a bad idea.
Now that you have given three debatable examples of FDA mistakes, could you give us three examples of FDA-approved medications that you approve of? I bet you have more than that in your medicine cabinet.