Cacophony won't Help

The Avandia rosiglitazone mess epitomizes some of FDA's biggest problems: internecine warfare; a toxic political and media atmosphere; and consequent lack of public trust. The advisory committee meeting on Avandia on Tuesday and Wednesday this week will give the agency a chance to demonstrate it is ready to resolve complex scientific issues. But the early signs are not encouraging.

At an FDA press briefing last Thursday, a reporter asked who in the agency would be making the decision about keeping the diabetes drug on the market...