FDA to Institute Safety Board

Months after top Food and Drug Administration scientists accused the agency of slow or no response to dangerous drugs it approved, the FDA is finally getting around to setting up a drug safety panel. It'll watch for dangers that crop up after a drug is approved and on the market.

Drug companies can pay higher fees to get quicker approval for new drugs from the FDA. Critics say that rushes new medicines through -- before they can be fully tested.

Scientists have complained that once problems crop up with a drug already on the market -- the FDA is slow to pull the drug. Some have testified before Congress that they were threatened by superiors for calling attention to such problems.

The FDA announcement comes on the eve of a major scientific conference set to discuss problems with two such drugs -- Vioxx and Celebrex. The prescription pain killers were sold with FDA approval for years before research turned up showing they could cause heart attacks.

Critics say the plan isn't enough and question the timing. The FDA has gone looking for praise and made some high profile, populist calls at critical times in the Vioxx mess that seemed custom made to deflect their bad press. (LAT)

[Crossposted at eTalkingHead.com]