A New Website Names and Shames Universities and Companies Who Fail to Report Clinical Trials
The government has never fined anyone for breaking a law about reporting clinical trials. A new effort is trying to change that.
FDA
The FDA Uses Scant Evidence to Approve Updates to Defibrillators and Hip Replacements, Study Finds
The study looked at recently approved major changes to critical devices such as blood-sugar monitors, stents, and defibrillators meant to restart the heart.
The FDA Needs to Come Down Harder on Opioids, an FDA-Commissioned Panel Says
An independent panel of scientists make a case for "opioid exceptionalism."
FDA Asks Drug Company to Stop Selling Easy-to-Abuse Painkiller
Endo Pharmaceuticals appears to be preparing its opposition to the FDA's request.
Scott Gottlieb Confirmed as Head of the FDA
Gottlieb is a partner at a venture capital firm, New Enterprise Associates, which invests in drugs that may come before the FDA for approval.
You're Pregnant. What Do You Know About the Meds?
Testing prescription drugs on pregnant women is controversial. It's also utterly necessary if we care about the health of both mother and child.
The Pill That Probably Won't Fix Your Low Sex Drive
A meta-study finds "female Viagra" to have low-to-moderate benefits and side effects.
The Links Between Sugar and Heart Disease
The scientific evidence for whether eating too much sugar causes Type 2 diabetes and other diseases.
The Former Dentist Uncovering Sugar's Rotten Secrets
University of California–San Francisco researcher Cristin Kearns dropped a promising career at the Kaiser Foundation to dig through sugar industry archives for a smoking gun. With help from the man who brought down Big Tobacco, she’s now proving that Big Sugar steered scientists away from looking at the ingredient’s harmful effects.
Cracking Big Sugar
An early look at a Pacific Standard story that's currently only available to subscribers.
The Little Pink Pill That Sparked a Feminist War
The Food and Drug Administration's approval of a pharmaceutical treatment for low sexual desire in women has launched a heated debate over the dangers and benefits of medicalizing sex.
Distorting Our Relationship With Technology
Placed in historical perspective, the popular opposition to things like GMOs and vaccines, much like 19th-century opposition to fertilizers and insecticides, reflects less an overt rejection of science than a distrust of experts who peddle it.
Was Sexism Behind the Sign Off on Flibanserin?
An early look at a Pacific Standard story that's currently only available to subscribers.
Should Birth Control Get a Fast Track Through the FDA?
As much as we would love over-the-counter pills, here's an argument for why we should treat birth control like any other drug.
Are Doctors Careful Enough With Off-Label Prescriptions?
Too often, doctors aren't using sound science when they prescribe a drug for unapproved uses, a new study finds.
Would Washington’s FDA Fix Cure the Patients or the Drug Industry?
A bill that would speed up approval for medications and medical devices shows how a major initiative can get traction even in the midst of Washington gridlock—but critics say all the lobbying is drowning out some warnings about patient safety.
Tylenol Is the Pain Reliever That Doctors Recommend Most
Internal company documents that have emerged in a New Jersey trial make clear that marketing for Tylenol did not convey doctors’ concerns about its risks.
How Medical Device Companies Test Products Out on Patients—After They're Released
Essure, the latest malfunctioning medical device, shows us exactly what’s wrong with the way medical devices are approved in this country.
What Won't the Makers of Tylenol Do to Protect Their Iconic Painkiller?
Court filings from a new lawsuit describe a previously unreported lobbying campaign by McNeil Consumer Healthcare to block tougher regulation.
A Master of His Craft
Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio has issued his verdict: We need safer, healthier food right now—and everyone deserves a place at the table.
Do the New FDA Nutrition Labels Encourage Gluttony?
New research suggests consumers completely misinterpret on-package nutrition information.
'Truvada Whores' and the Class Divide
The reactionary platforms of Larry Kramer and Michael Weinstein are impeding low-income access to crucial drugs.
The FDA Finally Endorses a Safety Device for Liquid Children’s Medications
Flow restrictors can help prevent children from taking too much acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, which can cause liver damage if taken in high doses.