[JetPotato]

[QUOTE=palmetto defender;4256613]I was in big Pharma once upon a time. I wish the gov felt beholden - LOL.
They do tend to be cautious (slow) BUT they do a decent job - safety.
Relative to small companies - it is tough in any industry. Look at food, defense, auto and a long list. Innovators tend to get bought up - not a bad thing.[/QUOTE]

My experience in Big Pharma has been that the government is beholden, depending on [I]which[/I] (i.e. best greaser) Big Pharma you work for.

The FDA is without a doubt essential, but needs to change its approach to how it operates.
1) Hire more scientists who understand the industry and less lawyers who haven't a clue how science operates trying to dictate it
2) Evaluate drugs on a risk-based approach, rather than an all-or-nothing approval process. Like any surgery, there can be identified risk that patients and doctors can agree to pursue or not pursue (provided accepting that risk removes liability attached directly to known risk factors). This will get far more needed medicines on the market, lower overall costs of patient care, and save lives.
3) Patent reform. The general public hasn't a clue how much money it costs to discover, develop and test a drug before it gets to market, then they bytch about how much the pills cost. Again, these companies need to recoup their development costs and make [I]some[/I] profits. Extending patent life will lower costs and again get more drugs on the market