A look inside the FDA, its recent record, and the debate over whether our nation's drug safety system is broken. Plus, FAQs and links for consumers.
Philip Hilts, author of a much-discussed new book on the FDA, talks about the agency's contentious political history -- and why defending it is "a peculiar business."
Big Pharma is one of Washington's most powerful interest groups. But are its lobbying efforts always good for business? A Web-exclusive analysis by Jonathan Cohn.
Producer Andrew Liebman offers two stories, not included in the documentary, about how drug companies have been known to handle bad news.
 
 
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As medications play an ever-increasing role in modern health care, the importance of FDA approval to consumers, it would seem, has never been greater. For many consumers, the phrase "FDA approved" signifies that a drug or product is completely safe and without risk. But just how much does the average American know about the FDA approval process and what it can -- and cannot -- do? How good is the FDA's system for identifying drugs that don't work or cause harm? And what happens when a harmful product makes its way into consumers' hands? FRONTLINE investigates the FDA and drug safety, and questions whether the current system is adequate for protecting the public.
