Should the FDA release more drug safety data?

It's amazing how much advertising I see on television these days regarding the various prescription drugs that give the appearance of treating any condition under the sun -- when I watch commercials for research purposes, anyway.

Should the FDA release more specific detail on the trials prescription drugs go through and make those results available to the public? I say yes -- patients and doctors should have unfettered access to this information as a way to make the best and most informed decision about possible treatments. Any patient should be suspicious of prescription drugs that have not had data released on how these drugs worked (or did not) in all the trial testing each must go through before being allowed for sale (here in the U.S., anyway).

It's really a shame and a disservice to the population that current rules allow drug companies to keep data secret. Side effects can sometimes be worse that the condition that they are intended to treat -- but if patients don't know this, an informed decision cannot possibly be made.

It really seems to be a complete smokescreen in that the FDA and pharmaceutical companies say drug information needs to be protected so that competing manufacturers can't use the data to produce competing versions of drugs. This is the response to allowing your customers to know about your products, ones that directly affect the most cherished thing we can every have -- our health? Sounds like political nonsense to me. You?