Trusting Pharma: The Lost Evidence of Efficacy

In the 1960s, the FDA began examining grandfathered drugs that predated its existence, revealing that many long-used medications lacked scientific evidence supporting their efficacy. Various commissions were formed to differentiate between effective treatments and those that should be discarded. Specifically, while an advisory panel confirmed the safety and effectiveness of urushiol-based treatments for plant allergies, the required dosage studies were never submitted by drug companies. Despite extensions granted by the FDA, crucial records were lost, leading to a significant gap in the assessment of these medications.