In: Operations Management
In response to the coronavirus, the FDA has been very involved in the products for testing and treating the coronavirus. Please explain the role that the FDA plays with regard to these products. Let me know if you think that the FDA is necessary or can we leave our safety to the private businesses that provide the products and services. During this pandemic, we have seen the FDA relax its rules with regards to products, specifically testing. Should the FDA relax the rules, and since they are, are the rules really appropriate in the first place? The FDA has also allowed the use of drugs approved to treat malaria to now treat the coronavirus. Again, if the rile can be relaxed is it really necessary in the first place? Also, if the drug has been approved by the FDA to treat the coronavirus, should patients who claim that they are harmed by these drugs later be allowed to sue the manufactures?
FDA plays an important role in regulating the medicines and chemicals which can be introduced to American nationals for any kind of treatment.
FDA is necessary as they maintain the decorum of which chemicals are allowed to be introduced for treatment. There are many chemicals that might benefit in the short term but will ham more in long term. So, FDA intervention was very much necessary.
During a pandemic time, it is imperative to design a drug. So, during this pandemic situation, the relaxation of rules will allow greater flexibility of companies to test various kinds of medicines and their effectiveness against COVID-19. Tightening the rules will only result in further delays in developing a vaccine. So, it is fair enough to relax the rules during this pandemic situation.
No, if a drug that has been approved by the FDA later found to harm a patient, then also he/she can not sue the pharmaceutical company.