Risk management and intrusions on medical practice: striking a balance

All drugs have risks. Scott Gottlieb suggests that the federal government should leave management of those risks to medical professionals. At issue is legislation to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) authority and ability to manage those risks over a drug's life cycle. The Enhancing Drug Safety and Innovation Act (S. 484) would codify the FDA's authority to impose restrictions on distribution and use after approval of a drug and require those restrictions to be adapted to new information about the safety of the drug. The legislation strikes a realistic balance between risk management and intrusions on medical practice.