The Food and Drug Administration want to approve more generic versions of complex drugs to expand access for patients. FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb argues that the price of making the complex drug scares generic drug makers from attempting to produce them. According to ABC News, "the FDA will begin giving companies guidance on how to win approvals, including offering meetings with agency staff early on, to shorten the time for development and approval." The FDA also approved a cheaper drug to treat Hepatitis C. What are your thoughts?
Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/fda-acts-encourage-generic-competition-complex-drugs-50238146
This is good news. The FDA is a complex bureaucratic agency prone to corruption and cronyism due to influence from drug companies. If the FDA is going to pull back its red tape overlong approval processes, that will allow for more competition in the drug market and lower the prices. It's by no means a full-on solution to the medical cost crisis in America, but it is a step in the right direction.