While gouty arthritis is diagnosed by aspiration of joint fluid, distinguishing tendinitis versus a sprain versus a fracture requires a clinical examination and possibly an X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging.

CNN: Do I have gout or tendinitis?

However, this panel was making decisions about whether medicines vital to two companies should be on the market, unlike a typical meeting to advise the FDA on what should be required to approve a drug for, say, gouty arthritis.

FORBES: The FDA's Conflict Of Interest Problem