FDA Little-known US Law can help us fight junk science in any regulations FDA may issue

[DrMA]

I recently found out about a little-known piece of legislation that mandates US govt rules be based on sound and objective science. The Information Quality Act has unfortunately seen little use in our field, but has been previously used to challenge the scientific basis of other rulings made by various federal agencies.

The IQA can be used both in a regulatory framework, as well as in legal challenges. For instance, IQA requests can be made to specific agencies to compel them to reconsider policies or regulations based on scientific evidence. The agencies are required to make public IQA challenges and to respond in writing (also publicly) to any such challenges within a specified timeframe. The same IQA can also be used in court to challenge the scientific basis of agency rulings.

 

[iamthevoice]

You would think that the actual use of science would lead to the proper decisions being made. The problem is that most decision makers are after votes and power, not being right! But it's an interesting approach for sure!

 

[DrMA]

This publication illustrates the use of IQA to challenge alarmist EPA rules based on selective review of the literature and misrepresentation of the evidence:
http://thecre.com/pdf/20121029_DQABuffalo.pdf

 

[DrMA]

This is about Agency rulings with the power of Law, not arbitrary decisions by local school boards.

 

[csardaz]

HHS Information Quality Requests for Corrections and HHS' Responses: Main Page HHS calls them Request for Correction and points you there to see them.

Theres one pending from Sept8 re the CDC interpretation of youth tobacco survey - the 'sometimes no means yes' and other bits. Maybe 6 or 7 re smokeless and I saw one on cigars - haven't read them all yet but the first - 2004 one on smokeless was perverse - instead of saying 'smokeless is not safer than smoking' they made it 'no tobacco is safe'. So same inaccurate implication but .... tweaked to be technically true.

 

[Rlrick]

Good find and a good read. So now let's find out if CDC has the gall to fess up to the inaccuracies of their findings.

 

[DrMA]

HHS Information Quality Requests for Corrections and HHS' Responses: Main Page HHS calls them Request for Correction and points you there to see them.

Theres one pending from Sept8 re the CDC interpretation of youth tobacco survey - the 'sometimes no means yes' and other bits. Maybe 6 or 7 re smokeless and I saw one on cigars - haven't read them all yet but the first - 2004 one on smokeless was perverse - instead of saying 'smokeless is not safer than smoking' they made it 'no tobacco is safe'. So same inaccurate implication but .... tweaked to be technically true.

great find, csardaz!

And kudos to whomever submitted the request for the abysmal NYTS 2013 study and interpretation by CDC. Well done!

 

[csardaz]

That Sept 8 2014 request is very good. Nice that they pointed out a dozen news articles that used the press release info - for weeks afterward. Can't really prove when they had it brought to their attention - hey this data disagrees with what you said. A CDC bigshot ought to have read the report and seen the problems himself before approving the press release. But they let it spread around the world without a retraction.

Just 2 or 3 clicks from the wiki link you gave - are you sure you didn't write it and then leave breadcrumbs? I hope whoever wrote it is proud of it even if a name never shows up.

I'm looking for hope in older smokeless posts that have responses - tho the very first one on smokeless the response was disappointing.

The big example of Information Quality is Tyrone Harris? He proved pretty good that even tiny amounts of atrazine turns boy frogs into girls. Industry did one one of these information Quality protests and it resolved out like 'amphibian gender stability is not an established reason for rejecting a pesticide' - really really teensy amounts too.

 

[DrMA]

LOL, no csardaz, it wasn't me. I would've definitely taken credit if it were.

 

[DC2]

Never ignore a potential card that can be played.

 

[DrMA]

I wonder if we could prosecute the ANTZ terrorist network under the RICO act?

I have a feeling State AGs might be forced to plead the 5th on this one, so a federal prosecutor (aka US Attorney) would have to pursue such a case.

Predicate offenses committed by ANTZ and subject to RICO: embezzlement, fraud, dealing in obscene matter, obstruction of justice, racketeering, money laundering, commission of murder-for-hire (x480,000 per year x50 years).

 

[Jman8]

Predicate offenses committed by ANTZ and subject to RICO: embezzlement, fraud, dealing in obscene matter, obstruction of justice, racketeering, money laundering, commission of murder-for-hire (x480,000 per year x50 years).

I don't see the last one going through, as murder would be challenging to prove.

Also wonder what would constitute ANTZ. Like if you hate smoking, with a passion, are you part of the ANTZ network?

 

[DrMA]

<snip>
Also wonder what would constitute ANTZ. Like if you hate smoking, with a passion, are you part of the ANTZ network?

Hate has nothing to do with it, rather involvement in the racket as demonstrated by well-documented financial ties. Criminal intent can be gauged by their attitude towards THR. Clearly, those stuck on "quit or die" are actively engaged in "murder for hire".

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Hate has nothing to do with it, rather involvement in the racket as demonstrated by well-documented financial ties.

I would call this type the criminals (desk murders) the Antz are their followers. The desk murders are fully aware what they are doing.

 

[DC2]

I would call this type the criminals (desk murders) the Antz are their followers. The desk murders are fully aware what they are doing.

I would say that the desk murderers are folks like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other Big Pharma entities.
And that the politicians are their lackeys, and the ANTZ are their minions.

But they all share some of the guilt for the deaths of millions.
And they SHOULD be tried for their crimes.

 

[Sundodger]

I would say that the desk murderers are folks like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other Big Pharma entities.
And that the politicians are their lackeys, and the ANTZ are their minions.

But they all share some of the guilt for the deaths of millions.
And they SHOULD be tried for their crimes.

The FDA approval process is going to protect us to death.

 

[DC2]

The FDA approval process is going to protect us to death.

Most likely, at least in my opinion.

But the FDA only got involved in 2009 because the ANTZ kept on urging them to.
And the ANTZ care mostly because Big Pharma funds them to care.

But the ANTZ also care because of government funding.
And because of their own twisted ideology.

And the FDA continues to pursue their anti-electronic cigarette agenda because of pressure from the ANTZ...
And now because of increasing pressure from the politicians.

But if Big Pharma wasn't funding the ANTZ...
And if the politicians didn't buy into the ANTZ "for the children" arguments...
And if the FDA wasn't an employee of Big Pharma...
And if the mainstream media was not supporting Big Pharma...

Then our fight would be FAR less difficult than it is.

 

[Kent C]

FDA and ANTZ - a marriage made in hell....