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Charlie, As much as I dislike drug companies I would like to set the record straight. I don't believe that drug companies do their own trials. They pay for them but trials are done by independent organizations like medical schools, research foundations etc. Some neurologists in private practice may be involved in the study but the double blind nature of the study is kept by the sponsoring agency which is usually a medical school. I was in an entacapone study which was multi-centered and through Rush in Chicago. Multiple studies usually are done which decreases chance of bias. Adverse events are taken quite seriously and it is unlikely that a major side effect could get through if its incidence is high enough. (but possible). (Low incidence side effects can always get through and the FDA monitors this closely- hopefully) You are correct that the bias of drug companies can be expressed and that usually is not in the public's best interest. Like Lilly, going for an indication to use Prozac for weight control with very questionable data. The FDA denied them. Drug companies can be relatively ethical or pretty slimy and the FDA over or under cautious. I wanted to put out the facts as I see them and would appreciate any comments or corrections. Charlie Charlie Black wrote: > As a participant in the Tasmar trials, and yes it works for me with no ill > effects to date, I would like to speak in what I feel is the inherently > flawed trials process. > Basically it is this, having drug companies run their own trials, is > patently ludicrous. The process to my mind is one geared to generating > mountains of paper and statistics, with a certain KNOWING eye to suppress > bad results and glorify the products. > We have a wonderful array of medical schools that could do these studies, > essentially completely blind IMHO, giving us more more accurate results. > > What kind of compensation does the neuro receive from the drug company to > test? I think this compensation, monetary or otherwise, would tend to color > anyone's objectivity. > > These are but a few of the things that trouble me about the process. I wish > I had some answers. > > Charles Black > 49 dx 1991 -- ****************************************************************************************** Charles T. Meyer, M.D. Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin [log in to unmask] ******************************************************************************************