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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you.
Perhaps before you came in today, Representative Symms had
testified that he has introduced legislation to review the Food and
Drug Administration's function, to re-examine it in the Congress,
and see whether or not it does need the kind of re-overhauling that
you were speaking about.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I had the opportunity to read Mr.
Symms' testimony. I might say, over the past few years I have seen
a number of these bills introduced and all of them, I believe, with
good intent. I don't know what our agenda is as a committee.
Knowing that we have the research abilities that we have had in
the past, and the impact on the House, I hope we might look into
one of these pieces of legislation.
The CHAIRMAN. I think that is a very good suggestion and we
will certainly give it very, very careful consideration, Mr. Mica.
I just want to ask two or three questions. In the first place, Dr.
Jacob, can you tell us so a layman can understand it, what does
DMSO do?
Dr. JACOB. It does several things. One is that it relieves pain by
blocking the small fibers and nerves which carry pain impulses.
Second, it reduces inflammation, reduces swelling. Third, it actual-
ly improves blood flow to an injured portion of the body. Fourth, it
tends to soften scar tissue. Fifth, it is a diuretic. Sixth, it tends to
enhance the action of other drugs. It is what we call a cholinester-
ase inhibitor which means it aids impulses between cells, particu-
larly in the brain. It is the only substance known to man which
will protect against heat damages, against freezing damage, against
radiation damage and against ultrasonic damage, the only sub-
stance known to protect against all those forms of injuries.
The CHAIRMAN. Does the Food and Drug Administration make a
distinction in authorizing the use of drugs as prescribed by a physi-
cian and those available to the public over-the-counter? When I
was a boy, Sloan's liniment was part of everybody's household. You
didn't get a doctor's prescription, you just used it if you wanted to.
Do you make a distinction between using something like that and
the use of a drug by the prescription of a doctor?
Dr. JACOB. Yes they do. They make a distinction between pre-
scriptive agents and over-the-counter. Here this morning was a
man by the name of Bud Fenesterwald who, interesting enough,
wrote the Kefauver-Harris amendments. He told me any similarity
between what was intended and the way the FDA is implementing
them is purely coincidental.
The CHAIRMAN. I asked that question because you had testified
that out of a large number of uses that only in two or three cases
was there an allergic reaction of a serious nature. I believe Mr.
Jones said that sometimes you got a little bit of reaction or some-
thing. But Mr. Jones, you had no serious skin rash at any time?
Mr. JONES. No.
The CHAIRMAN. You mentioned, didn't you, two or three serious
cases?
Dr. JACOB. Yes. There are reports of patients who are allergic to
DMSO.
The CHAIRMAN. You mentioned one instance where it was hard
for the patient to breathe.
