Problems of Human Experimentation with New Drugs

To the Editor: There are a number of disturbing features of “Adverse Reactions to Cephalothin and Cephapirin” (N Engl J Med 290:424–429, 1974). The authors report that their study was designed to evaluate the tolerance and pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered drugs in high dosage, “thereby mimicking treatment of infections such as bacterial endocarditis.” However, in the discussion they state, “In clinical practice the cephalosporins are prescribed in a variety of dosages and by a variety of routes; rapid intravenous infusion is perhaps least frequently employed, and it is even less often maintained for longer than one or two weeks.” Assuming. . .