Democrats Attack FDA Chief On Safety Issues

The head of the Food and Drug Administration came under attack on Tuesday from U.S. Democrats who said the agency needs more power to order safety warnings on prescription medicines.The lawmakers complained about the 14 months it took the FDA to negotiate a new warning with Merck & Co. Inc. about cardiovascular risks linked to arthritis drug Vioxx. Some proposed legislation to bolster FDA authority to order label changes more quickly.

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