In-depth Interview Of This Top FDA Insider From 2005, In Seven Parts

In August and September 2005 Dr. Joseph Mercola — an osteopathic physician, also known as a DO — published on his web site a seven-part interview series with the FDA’s David Graham which did not receive the degree of attention it rightfully deserved.

It seems that this series of David Graham interviews was first published by Crusador, which has been described as "a hard-hitting, in-depth health publication that cuts through the health lies that are so prevalent in our world today".

As background, Dr. David Graham’s November 2004 Senate testimony about the FDA’s failures as regards the Vioxx debacle put him on the front page and in the nightly news.  But Dr. Graham is no flash-in-the-pan when it comes to drug-safety issues.  For example, Dr. Graham helped write the Grassley-Dodd bill that was introduced in the spring of 2005, but apparently stalled at the legislative committee level in Washington since then.  The Grassley-Dodd bill would help strengthen the FDA’s drug-safety efforts, in part, by establishing a new independent department within the FDA to review serious side effects associated with prescription drugs after they have been approved by the agency and are being marketed in the U.S.

In this seven-part interview, Dr. David Graham tells us why he thinks there needs to be legislative changes made to the FDA — such as the Grassley-Dodd bill — in order for that agency to be able to adequately protect American patients from adverse reactions due to use of unsafe drugs.

Manette Loudon conducted this seven-part series of interviews with Dr. David Graham, which starts as follows:

Loudon: Dr. Graham, it’s truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to interview you. Let me begin by asking you how long you’ve been with the FDA and what your current position is?

Dr. David Graham: I’ve been with the FDA for 20 years. I’m currently the Associate Director for Science and Medicine in the Office of Drug Safety. That’s my official job. But when I’m here today I’m speaking in my private capacity on my own time, and I do not represent the FDA.

We can be pretty certain that the FDA would not agree with most of what I have to say. So with those disclaimers, you know everything is OK.

We encourage you to read this 2005 interview with Dr. David Graham, of the FDA.

(Posted by: Tom Lamb)