[e-drug] Role and function of E-drug (cont'd)

[Anthony Klouda <lists@klouda.org>]

E-drug: Role and function of E-drug (cont'd)
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Foppe's posting is really interesting. How political is political? I am
not at all clear why the excerpts from newspapers can be deemed
as somehow more political than those emanating from a 'Journal of
Pharmacology' -- I can't see how political debate can be separated
out so simply when most decisions relating to drug research,
provision, marketing or use are political or human in nature. The
newspaper debate about the availability of ARVs surely, in Foppe's
own terms, was "mostly aimed at improving drug use in developing
(and sometimes developed) countries".

There is also no such thing as one single 'rational' drug use --
except in terms of the body of opinion of a number of people.
Decisions around which drugs are deemed as essential are political.
Decisions about the kinds of trial for efficacy which are undertaken
are political (see for example the excellent reviews of trials in
Bandolier or the BMJ which make clear how much scientists are
biased when it comes to the feel-good factor in choosing trials to
promote efficacy and avoid side-effect measurement). And of
course, ordinary people in their hundreds of millions vote for drugs
(skin whiteners, vitamin pills, anti-aging creams) which, in their
opinion, is what the pharmacy industry is for. For this kind of
understanding, I always welcome the inclusion of views that
demonstrate just how political the situation is.

However, the decision as to the spectrum of such views to be
entertained in a debate is also political, and the moderators'
response was interesting in that respect. What does the group of
people who subscribe to the list deem as too political?

My own personal view on some of the debates I see on this forum
is that it is a reasonable balance between, on the one hand, those
who see trendy wide-spread political stances for what they are (e.g.
the debate on reduction of cost of ARVs) and who provide
thoughtful comment on them, and those who like concentrating on
the narrower political spectrum (where the range of opinions is
fewer perhaps because fewer people are involved) involving, for
example, the bio-availability of particular non-herbal formulations.

Dr. Tony Klouda
Regional Technical Adviser Reproductive Health, Africa
CARE International
e-mail: lists@klouda.org

(Views represented in this posting are personal and not necessarily
those of CARE International)

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