Richard Epstein Wimps Out

Richard Epstein writes an otherwise excellent critique of the FDA.

But Epstein wimps out, just like the person he criticizes, former FDA head Dr. Scott Gottlieb. Here is where Epstein goes wrong:

“There is no reason to prevent the FDA from requiring Phase I trials, which use small patient samples to test for high levels of toxicity… In some cases, such as those for the next anti-cholesterol drug, a full-scale clinical trial may well make sense… Break the monopoly and the FDA may actually reform itself in order to remain relevant as a source of information about drugs for patients.”

“Feh,” say I. Why not call for the total elimination of this murderous government agency, the FDA? After doing such a great job detailing how it needlessly causes deaths, and that it is impossible to reform it, that would appear to be the only logical conclusion.

If Ron Paul were to address this FDA issue, he would certainly do just that. “End the FDA,” period, would be his motto. If Richard Epstein were to address the FED in the same way he deals with the FDA, he would not call for the FED’s total elimination. Instead, Epstein would strip most of the FED’s powers away, and leave it “to remain relevant as a source of information about” money, gold, inflation, unemployment, etc. bloody etc. Pathetic.

Epstein comes so close. It’s a shame he is not a libertarian.

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2:42 pm on June 26, 2012