I'm not sure whether "good" is better or worse than "positive", but the FDA is definitely closer to "mixed" than the FAA. I'm generally very pro-FDA for the reasons you listed, and argue against the libertarians who want to abolish it. However, there's lots of legitimate criticisms about how it's frequently too conservative in allowing trials or approval for potentially life-saving medication, or approving medications and supplements that are considered safe and commonly-used by other countries.
Scott Alexander of SSC/ACX has many[1][2][3], many[4][5][6] posts pointing out instances in which the FDA's arguable-excessive roadblocks have failed US healthcare patients, coming from his experience as a professional psychiatrist.
I'm not sure whether "good" is better or worse than "positive", but the FDA is definitely closer to "mixed" than the FAA. I'm generally very pro-FDA for the reasons you listed, and argue against the libertarians who want to abolish it. However, there's lots of legitimate criticisms about how it's frequently too conservative in allowing trials or approval for potentially life-saving medication, or approving medications and supplements that are considered safe and commonly-used by other countries.
Scott Alexander of SSC/ACX has many[1][2][3], many[4][5][6] posts pointing out instances in which the FDA's arguable-excessive roadblocks have failed US healthcare patients, coming from his experience as a professional psychiatrist.
[1] https://slatestarcodex.com/2013/09/28/sleep-now-by-prescript...
[2] https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/15/fish-now-by-prescripti...
[3] https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/08/16/an-iron-curtain-has-de...
[4] https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/03/11/ketamine-now-by-prescr...
[5] https://slatestarcodex.com/2013/11/26/a-letter-i-will-probab...
[6] https://slatestarcodex.com/2016/08/29/reverse-voxsplaining-d...
[7] https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/adumbrations-of-aducan...