Today I’m off to San Diego to hear David Brailer et al at the AHIMA conference, so expect some more about that later on this channel.

Meanwhile, the pro-PhRMA academics at Tufts have a new study which suggests that rushing drugs through the FDA process is neither better nor worse than slowing them down.  Note these are the same guys who keep coming up with the BS numbers of $800 million plus, plus, plus on how much a new drug costs, a stat that has been well fisked by the anti-big Pharma forces on many web sites. However, take a look at their new study and consider whether it’s the speed of approvals that’s the problem, or whether it’s that the FDA cannot be trusted to be open with the public about all the data it knows about a particular drug.

Then consider again whether any of the top brass at the FDA can be trusted, given all the recent shenanigans about Plan B, and Crawford’s recent rush to get out of town — allegedly ahead of an indictment — and the latest news that he won’t help an investigation about whom he was carrying the bag for when he stopped Plan B’s OTC approval. (Hint: it might be some people who have other problems on their minds right now.)