An FDA Guide to Choosing Medical Treatments . Health Family Resources Home Repair . . An FDA Guide to Choosing Medical Treatments by Isadora B. Stehlin FDA Consumer June 1995 .
Medical treatments come in many shapes and sizes.
There are prescription medicines, available only from a pharmacist, and only when ordered by a physician. Of growing interest and attention in recent years are so-called alternative treatments, not yet approved for sale because they are still undergoing scientific research to see if they really are safe and effective. Many advocates of unproven treatments and cures contend that people have the right to try whatever may offer them hope, even if others believe the remedy is worthless. This argument is especially compelling for people with AIDS or other life-threatening diseases with no known cure. Before gaining Food and Drug Administration marketing approval, new drugs, biologics, and medical devices must be proven safe and effective by controlled clinical trials.