I frequently refer to one of the most famous medical quotes made in last century by a Harvard professor Dr Herbert Lay in 1969.
Five decades have gone since this observation was made by Dr Ley .Mind you ,Dr Ley is not a lay person , he was heading the same FDA which he targeted ! I guess when Dr Ley made this statement there was little commercialization in pharma Industry . Now along with it an entirely new field of medical device industry has grown to gargantuan proportions !
I wonder what Dr Herbert Ley would have to say as on 2014 !
Many modern medical professionals would shrug these views as controversial , pessimistic and negative forces of science !
Here I borrow my own quote from venkat@thoughts
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 
it’s indeed stunning. One normally regards FDA as a highly professional regulator with no axe to grind. Your mention of medical device industry is highly relevant in this context. Only the other day(10days back, i think), AIIMS doctors have categorically said that annual medical check up is a total waste. With medical costs escalating, even in the US there is a growing realization about redundancy of annual check ups. I won’t be surprised if there is an unhealthy nexus between the device manufacturers and the decision makers!
Thanks for highlighting issues with regard to medical ethics.
Your other article on prescription & promotion of Statins is also enlightening. I was always suspicious of high dosage levels of statins being prescribed by some physicians. I had undergone bypass surgery in 2008 in Mumbai and am taking only 5mg Statin(Aztor) for what it is worth. I focus more on diet and regular long & brisk walks to maintain my cholesterol levels.
Well, It takes a medical professional to expose the malpractices in pharma industry as well as medical profession!
I would like to meet you next time I make a trip to chennai.
May kindly provide your contact details.
C.S.Narasimhan, Mumbai
The first half of this quotation is made up and is now being used to further anti-vaccine sentiment.
He did not say, “The FDA protects… the big drug companies.”
I’m curious, what is your original source for this? Why were you inclined to take it at face value without looking into its veracity? Did you add the first half yourself?
Hi
Thanks for your observation and comment.It is true ,i didnt verify the source of the said quote.But, it is not mine, just shared from the others.
Will post a clarifcation.
Thanks for bringing this to my notice.
Dr.Venkatesan