There’s a lot going on right now with the FDA and drug regulation:

The Health Affairs Blog has posts by Scott Gottlieb (a former FDA official now at the American Enterprise Institute) and Jerome Kassirer (a former editor-in-chief of the New England Journal now at the Tufts University School of Medicine) giving two contrasting responses to FDA’s recently issued draft guidance that would let drug and device manufacturers give doctors journal articles about off-label uses of their products.

Ed Silverman at Pharmalot lets us know that more than half of the post-marketing studies pharamaceutical companies promised FDA they’d undertake haven’t even begun.

Sarah Rubenstein at WSJ’s Health Blog reports that the 2004 settlement over off-label marketing of Pfizer’s Neurontin (a pain and epilepsy drug) will be funding projects that advise prescribers and patients about the safety, efficacy, and costs of pharmaceuticals.

Elsewhere:

Max Siegel at RH Reality Check shares his personal story about the effects of abstinence-only education, and explains why he testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about this experience.

Merrill Goozner at GoozNews tackles the recent news about declining longevity in some parts of the country, and reminds us how tobacco settlement money relates to the problem.

Michael Bérubé at Crooked Timber investigates the presidential candidates’ policy positions on disability.

Abel Pharmboy at Terra Sigillata commemorates the 94th anniversary of the Ludlow Massacre, and reminds us that the sacrifices of workers and their families have made it possible for so many of us to live the comfortable lives we enjoy today.

Sharon Astyk at Gristmill considers what the word “farmer” means around the world.

Matthew Lewis at Triple Pundit offers us a glimpse behind the curtain at the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

Nedra Weinreich at Spare Change checks out the Zombie Squad approach to public health preparedness.