To the Editor.—
In reply to your EDITORIAL (224:621, 1973), I am in agreement with some of the concepts expressed by Dr. William R. Barclay.If the federal government wishes to decide which medicines the physician will use, how the usage will be ascertained, and which drugs will be approved, then it does seem redundant, expensive, time consuming, and unnecessary for doctors to have the very complex training that they have.It is indeed unfortunate that, as Dr. Barclay states the FDA, the medical profession, the pharmaceutical industry, and the public are, therefore, placed in a difficult situation. Preparations in long and general use, generally harmless, and significantly beneficial as judged by physician and patient experience must, under act of Congress, be either withdrawn, reformulated, or relabeled.Could it be that the act of Congress is one that needs reformulation and amendment?It does seem rather inconsistent that safe but