The public and the government hold the FDA with high esteem. They believe that the agency is the one that can issue the correct statement concerning the drugs under investigations. Due to this, the public tracks its thinking and studies. It can prevent shocking news of abrupt black box warnings. It assists the physicians to become cautious about prescribing new treatments without considering potential side effects. Strict policy guidelines help to protect consumers.
The Institutional Review Board and advisory committees help to protect the rights and welfare of clinical trial subjects. The Institutional Review Board also comprises of five experts and laypeople with varied backgrounds who provide a complete review of clinical procedures.
There are drugs that people misuse. The approval system can help to grow public awareness about such drugs. An example is that of the narcotic drug called OxyContin. Many people have abused the drug through overdose. Others have used it and gotten addiction syndromes. The FDA listed it as a drug under investigation. Such information can influence public thinking about the drug and assist in managing it to prevent more damage.
The approval system may announce the investigation of particular drugs that doctors have already prescribed to patients. As a result, patients may stop using drugs without consulting their physicians. Medical treatment requires constant consultation with the responsible doctors. Such abrupt withdrawal before completing one’s dose can leave a patient with worse effects that may not be safe for their health.
The lists that the FDA releases do not include all the drugs that are under investigation. The information given does not comprise the statistics on deaths. They also do not provide the numbers of reported side effects. The strict guidelines may significantly delay the essential drugs from coming to the market.
It takes about twelve years for potentially safe and effective drugs to move from the laboratory to the pharmacy. It is expensive because one may spend large sums of money on research and development. When people know that an important drug such as Tysabri is under investigation, it can instil fear. The public perception can also be out of proportion to the actual risk.
Other strategies that can bring change in health care delivery can be through public interest. It can be a potent weapon useful to bring change. The communities can come together and assemble their resources together to provide healthcare with modernized equipments. The initiative can assist the health care centres in the respective local communities to provide high standard treatment and medication.
The clinicians can take a personal responsibility to work hard for improvements at the workplace. Since they are the ones who have personal contact with healthcare consumers, they can quickly know what change is desirable. For instance, they can join hands to influence decision-making in the institutions.
Catastrophic care involves taking cover for expensive and or chronic sicknesses. Preventive care includes taking care of screening to prevent infections. They should both have separate funding sources. It would be very expensive for the state to commit itself towards such plans. It can lead to increases in health care funding which can reduce funding for other sectors of the economy.
People who choose negative health behaviours should pay higher premiums. Health is important to everyone. One can find information and warnings about health behaviours everywhere. When one does not accept such information, then one should also be ready to accept the consequences.