Alex had trouble posting this. Anyone else have similar troubles?
--
Prof. Bryan Caplan [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/bcaplan
"We may be dissatisfied with television for two quite different
reasons: because our set does not work, or because we dislike
the program we are receiving. Similarly, we may be dissatisfied
with ourselves for two quite different reasons: because our body
does not work (bodily illness), or because we dislike our
conduct (mental illness)."
--Thomas Szasz, *The Untamed Tongue*
Bryan,
I sent the attached last week and again earlier today but it simply
doesn't want to post! Arrghhh!
Alex
--
Dr. Alexander Tabarrok
Vice President and Director of Research
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA, 94621-1428
Tel. 510-632-1366, FAX: 510-568-6040
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I find myself in the strange position of defending the FDA! The
delay in approving RU-486 (mifepristone) has more to do with the
politics of abortion than the usual politics of delay at the FDA -
although abortion politics has worked through the FDA. Under George
Bush, for example, the FDA actually banned RU-486 from the country in
1989. Clinton allowed it in but no big drug firm, including the French
manufacturer Roussel-Uclaf (a subsidiary of the German firm Hoechst A.G.
- you can understand why *they* didn't want the publicity) could be
found to sponsor the drug and conduct the required clinical trials. The
French manufacturer actually stopped making the drug in 1988 because of
anti-abortion activism until the French Health Minister ordered them to
continue production (they dropped production in 1997 and gave the patent
rights to the New York based non-profit, the Population Council).
Finally a firm was found to manufacture the drug in the US but until
recently it has had trouble passing FDA manufacturing inspections.
Alex
--
Dr. Alexander Tabarrok
Vice President and Director of Research
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA, 94621-1428
Tel. 510-632-1366, FAX: 510-568-6040
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
