Or consider the diabetes drug Rezulin. FDA's own scientists complained for months that patients didn't get tested for liver damage as warning labels required. Dr. Sidney Wolfe of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen says the cases show FDA should ban drugs faster because warnings don't work. Doctors say they lack time to read the pages of fine print, and can't remember all the warnings anyway. Most learn about new drugs from salesmen unlikely to stress risks.
Some computer systems can flag risky drugs.
But too often, even computers are wrong, Woosley complained. Shortly before Propulsid's ban, he tested a highly touted pharmacists' system and found it allowed prescription of a deadly Propulsid-antibiotic mix. Nor do those flyers many pharmacies hand out with prescriptions list all the side effects. So FDA is debating tougher measures, such as limiting early sales of new drugs or even restricting which drugs can be prescribed by which doctors. Meanwhile, consumers should demand that their doctors explain risks and why they choose one drug over another, Henney stressed.