What is with all the recalls on medical devices, medical treatments and natural supplements? Is anyone really doing their job? Is enforcement too lax or is it too onerous causing companies to cheat to merely get a razor thin profit? Under regulation, over regulation, corporate malfeasance, criminal behavior, class action lawyers – what gives? Not long ago, this became a conversation of debate at our think tank.
One think tanker mentioned that there were some rather unfortunate hip-replacement recalls a few years back. Yes, I have heard of the hip recalls they spoke of and have watched a YouTube Video graphic of the problem. Terrible, I mean how can they recall a hip? Ouch. I have a steel rod in my leg from a motorcycle accident many years ago – it basically ruined my running career even if my high-performance athletic days were over pretty much by then.
What is bad is that it is obviously pre-existing and I never took it out, because I couldn’t spare the down-time from my business and being self-employed, well, I’ve never really had the time to take it out, now I don’t even know if it is safe too, plus I am deathly worried about the MRSA and I don’t trust hospitals anymore – not to mention costs, skyrocketing health care insurance, etc. – anyway, what I am saying is I can relate, with the problem aspect of your ‘problem-solution’ concept.
Well, if that sounds bad consider the challenges with vitamin supplements? Even if the FDA did enforce regulations in that space – I still see the challenges with the FDA and supplements and the controversies there. I worry too that too many supplements are now being made in China or with ingredients from there, that scares me, and the FDA only has one office in all of China. If so the vitamin sector would die, and people would be without.
I asked one of our think tank members if he was worried that with the long-haul process of getting things approved that it could slow down natural supplement companies turning all that over to big pharma, and thus, eliminating choice to the consumer – if all natural supplements had to go through the FDA?
One member suggested that certain natural supplements be looked at for special cases such as a natural lubricant, or a mixture of natural supplements with various drugs or in addition to treatments – because I see that as a very wise thing, especially as we learn more about enzymes, proteins, and we just need a little boost somewhere to get the patient over the hump of their ailments so the body can take over and make it right again. Think on this.