The agency's approval also provides a significant degree of confidence regarding the agent's safety when new medical evidence subsequently leads to its use in indications that are not specifically identified on the FDA label. Their role is to protect both the patient and his family from remedies that are neither safe nor effective. The elimination of useless treatments is a valid federal role. The responsibility of individual physicians in this area is much less well defined. Clearly, this is not the case.
Physicians have a major responsibility to serve as their patients' advocates.
Patients should have a right to look to their doctors for counsel in health matters of all sorts, which certainly includes those related to unscientific, unsafe, questionable medical practices. ASCO sincerely appreciates the contributions of Irving J. Lerner, MD, Chairman, ASCO Subcommittee on Unproven Methods, and Stacey Beckhardt, ASCO Public Policy Director, in the preparation of this article.