Documentary Description
Vioxx is a terrible tragedy and a profound regulatory failure. I
would argue that the FDA as currently configured is incapable of
protecting America against another Vioxx. We are virtually
defensiveless. It is important that this committee and the important
people understand that what happened with Vioxx is really a symptom of
something far more dangerous to the safety of the American people.
Simply put, FDA and the Center of Drug Evaluation and Research are
broken.
Prescription for Disaster is an in-depth investigation into the
symbiotic relationships between the pharmaceutical industry, the
FDA,lobbyists, lawmakers, medical schools, and researchers, and the
impact this has on consumers and their health care. During this
thorough investigation, we take a close look at patented drugs, why
they are so readily prescribed by doctors, the role insurance companies
and HMO’s play in promoting compliance, and the problem of rising
health care costs.
e examine the marketing and public relations efforts on behalf of
the pharmaceutical companies, including sales reps, medical journals
and conferences. Further, we look at alternatives to traditional
pharmacology and drug therapy, such as vitamins and nutritional
supplements, and why they are often perceived as a competitive threat
to the drug manufacturers. Alternative therapies also include diet,
exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
Prescription for Disaster takes you on a journey through the tangled
web of big business, the way disease is treated today, and the
consequences we suffer as a society.
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