Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates: The FDA’s Caution is Hazardous to Our Health

• Science & Health

For:
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Peter Huber, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute and Author

Against:
Dr. Jerry Avorn, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Dr. David Challoner, Chair, Institute of Medicine and VP for Health Affairs Emeritus, University of Florida

The Food and Drug Administration, the oldest comprehensive consumer protection agency in the U.S. federal government, is charged with protecting the public health. Under this mandate, it regulates drugs and medical devices for their safety and effectiveness. But is it a failing mandate? It’s long been argued that the FDA’s long and costly approval processes stifle innovation and keep life-changing treatments from the market. But the question remains: when it comes to public health, is it ever okay to sacrifice safety for speed?