FDA Scrutiny Is A Certainty At Some Point

While it is still unclear whether newly-appointed US House Speaker Newt Gingrich's threats against the Food and Drug Administration really have a chance for approval (because of the more pressing issues waiting for the new Republican-majority Congress in its first 100 days), the anti-regulatory mood which is now pervading Washington has made it certain that the agency will come under intensive scrutiny at some point.

Mr Gingrich has made it clear he would like to dismantle the FDA and replace it with an organization staffed by biomedical volunteers, following a plan designed by an outside nonprofit group, the Progress for Freedom Foundation.

Both Senators Nancy Kassebaum (new chairman of the Senate Labour and Human Resources Committee) and Orrin Hatch (a past chairman of the committee) also feel that the FDA has gone too far in its strictures, and has taken over decisions that consumers should make for themselves. All three think many companies will take their business overseas, where approval is quicker.