Robert Kuttner found a superb remedy for colds whereas vacationing in France and is rightly outraged that it’s not accessible in the US:
Towards the tip of our keep, my spouse and I each bought unhealthy coughs (fortunately, not COVID). We went to our great native pharmacist in quest of one thing like Mucinex or Robitussin, which aren’t nice however higher than nothing.
“We have now one thing a lot better,” mentioned he. And he did. It’s referred to as ambroxol. It really works on a wholly completely different chemical precept, to skinny sputum, facilitate productive coughing, and likewise operates as a ache reliever and delicate decongestant with no rebound impact.
We skilled it as a type of miracle drug for coughs and colds. A field price eight euros.
Ambroxol is accessible almost in all places on the earth as a generic. It has been in broad use since 1979.
However not within the U.S.
He continues the story:
…You may’t get ambroxol within the U.S. due to the failure of the Meals and Drug Administration to grant reciprocal recognition to generic drugs authorized by its European counterpart, the European Medicines Company, once they have lengthy been confirmed protected and efficient. To get FDA approval for the sale of ambroxol within the U.S., a drug firm would want to sponsor in depth and dear medical trials. Since it’s a generic, as low cost as aspirin, no drug firm would hassle.
…I’ve petitioned the FDA, asking them to create a fast-track process, whereby generic medication authorized in Europe, and properly established as protected and efficient, might get reciprocal approval within the U.S.
This is able to produce approval of ambroxol as over-the-counter medicine for coughs and colds with out pointless new medical trials. And may ambroxol prove to have actual advantages for Parkinson’s as properly, it could already be properly established within the U.S. as a cheap generic.
Influenced by my work on FDA reciprocity aka peer approval, Ted Cruz launched a invoice, the Consequence Act to fast-track approval in the US for medication and gadgets already authorized in different developed international locations. Equally, AOC has famous that the FDA is much behind the world in approving superior sunscreens. Maybe there is a chance right here for bipartisan assist.
Hat tip: the superb Scott Lincicome.
