FDA Should Not Seek More Drug Company Money, Should Get All Funding From U.S. Treasury

Statement of Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe, Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group

All the better ideas that have been discussed for improving FDA functions of reviewing new drugs, post-market safety studies and advertising should be included in the agency’s upcoming budget proposal to the congressional appropriations committees. The agency should request these additional funds through the same process that funded the agency from 1906 through 1992-that is, the money should come from the federal Treasury, not the pharmaceutical industry.

Ironically, the entire annual amount of funds now sought from industry under PDUFA is equivalent to fewer than two days of the current expenditures for the disastrous war in Iraq. Where are the congressional priorities?