Public Losing Confidence in FDA Oversight of Drug Safety

The American public is growing increasingly doubtful of the FDA's ability to ensure the safety of prescription drugs, according to a new national poll.

Just 14 percent of the public has a "great deal of confidence" in the FDA to ensure that drugs marketed in the U.S. are safe, according to the poll of 1,000 people released by Lake, Snell, Perry and Associates. By contrast, a comparable Gallup poll taken in November 2004 found that 21 percent had a great deal of confidence in the FDA's ability.

The number of Americans who have "not much confidence" or "none at all" grew from 29 percent in November 2004 to 37 percent in the new poll. Still, 48 percent of respondents in the new survey expressed a moderate amount of confidence in the FDA's ability to monitor drug safety, compared to 49 percent who said the same in November.

In light of mounting fears over drug safety, survey respondents said they want the FDA to take more action to improve its oversight duties. Sixty-six percent of respondents favored appointing an independent body to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all FDA practices and procedures regarding oversight of new prescription drugs, new medical devices and food safety. And 81 percent of those surveyed said the FDA's capacity for oversight and regulation should be maintained or increased.

Another 69 percent of respondents supported strengthening the FDA's ability to collect and disseminate information about marketed drugs and medical devices that have been found to cause harm.