Deadly Delays in Treatment
15th December 2021
Amid the fear, I’m surprised that we haven’t heard more about two drugs that could make COVID-19 much less of a threat.
In blind tests, Pfizer’s Paxlovid was found to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by 89%! It was so effective that Pfizer was advised to stop the tests.
“They halted the clinical trials!” exclaims Michael Cannon, director of health policy at the Cato Institute in my new video.
“They decided it would be unethical (not to give the drug to people in the control group.) But if it’s unethical to deny them the drug, it’s unethical to deny the American public that drug!”
Excellent point. Yet that’s what the Food and Drug Administration is doing. They force us to wait until they’re sure all drugs “meet the agency’s rigorous standards.”
How long might they delay?
“If the FDA is following its current practice,” says Cannon, “it’ll be a matter of months.”
Months is an improvement over the 10 years it usually takes the FDA. During the pandemic, the FDA loosened regulations to get some medicines to people faster.
“(But) we’re still losing thousands of lives unnecessarily,” complains Cannon.
What’s a life or two lost, compared to Following The Rules?
Your tax dollars at work.