The Leadership at Food and Drug Administration Essay

The Leadership at Food and Drug Administration - Essay Example The FDA granted permission to Merck to market rofecoxib (Vioxx) and it generated more than $2.5 billion but surprisingly, the company withdrew the drug as a result of the excess risk of myocardial infarctions and strokes. The responsible people, in this case, did not take appropriate action to safeguard the health concerns of the people through several studies had shown that this drug has side effects in the people involved. Merck and the FDA reneged on their responsibilities to the public which can be regarded as unethical in their health care profession. Â  The traits of Merck, for instance, are oriented towards generating revenue at the expense of the health of the consumers of rofecoxib. He prioritizes commercial interests ahead of the public health concerns. This is shown by his audacity to spend more than $100 million per year in direct-to-consumer advertising. On the other hand, it can be noted that the FDA which could have stopped Merck from using direct-to-consumer advertising as a result of the fact that cardiovascular toxicity was real since it received considerable confirmation in multiple studies did not act decisively. The leadership at FDA and Merck share the responsibility of not taking appropriate action meant to safeguard the interests of public health.