
‘Viagra for Women’ Is Backed by an F.D.A. Panel - gmays
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/05/business/panel-backs-a-drug-to-increase-womens-sex-drive.html
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Someone1234
I'm all for women having more choice/options, but it seems very odd to me that
the FDA was delaying this drug due to concerns over its safety, and now after
an "intense lobbying campaign" it is approved. Is that normally how drug
approvals work? You ignore safety concerns if there is a big public outcry?

If women literally start to suffer negative health effects, it will be on the
FDA's hands but also on the hands of these "women's charities" who wanted to
ignore the health effects to "even the score."

I like this quote:

> “To approve this drug will set the worst kind of precedent — that companies
> that spend enough money can force the F.D.A. to approve useless or dangerous
> drugs,” Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman of Georgetown University told the committee
> Thursday. She is the director of PharmedOut, a project that questions the
> influence of drug companies on the practice of medicine.

I just think the drug should be approved just like any other, on the basis of
its safety Vs. relative merits. As far as I know Viagra and other male-
orientated drugs also had to go through that same rigor.

PS - Men likely benefit from this just as much as women. However men too will
suffer if their love ones are injured by poorly evaluated side-effects.

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sp332
Why is everyone - even the headline - comparing this to Viagra? Even when the
body of the article makes the disclaimer "(Viagra treats erectile dysfunction,
not low sexual desire.)" they put it in parentheses as if it were
insignificant.

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theophrastus
Your point is a completely valid one. But given the field of available oral
medications what would you more properly compare this to; in the capacity of a
headline writing journalist?

(a screwy aside: in the pharmaceutical research business we occasionally hear
said in hushed tones: "could this be the next 'viagra'??"; by which, sales
figures, not functionality, are implied)

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sp332
For headline purposes, it would help if this had a catchy brand name instead
of floxy-whatever. But you don't have to make a comparison to anything for a
headline. "FDA panel backs sex drive booster for women" gets the point across
in as many characters.

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shenanigoat
I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that a decreased libido is actually
desirable.

