FDA's Reagan-Udall Foundation rushes to begin in wake of criticism

WASHINGTON The Reagan-Udall Foundation, the new drug research center from the Food and Drug Administration is being moved with unprecedented speed to begin its job of improving the development of drugs and medical devices, according to the Associated Press.

The problem with the foundation is that it will be paid for by the companies it regulates and has already seen criticism for this relationship because; critics argue that the FDA has become too involved with drug companies. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., a co-sponsor of the bill says the bill requires “effective safeguards to ensure that the foundation is independent of both the FDA and its donors, whether those donors are from industry or are charitable organizations.”

The goal of the foundation is to decrease the spending on drug development, while increasing the number of new drugs that reach the market each year. But again, the criticism is that drugs could be developed more cheaply, but that does not mean they will be safer and less expensive for consumers.