A top FDA official told a panel of experts at the Institute of Medicine that the nation's system for safeguarding the public from unsafe drugs had "broken down" and that significant improvements were needed. Dr. Janet Woodcock says the expectation of a fully informed provider and fully informed patient was broken and that the agency had known for some time that changes were needed. An independent department of drug safety has been proposed by some members of Congress.
- read this story from The New York Times for more