A Yuletide Apocalypse

Bush Uses FDA To Shield Big Pharma From Lawsuits - Media Monitors Network (MMN):

The ploy was also readily recognized by state lawmakers and trial lawyers as another ploy to reduce the public’s ability to hold Big Pharma accountable. “Eliminating the rights of individuals to hold negligent drug companies accountable puts patients in even more danger than they already are in from drug company executives that put profits before safety,” said Ken Suggs, president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

“The fact that the drug industry can get the FDA to rewrite the rules so that CEOs can escape accountability for putting dangerous and deadly drugs on the market is the scariest example yet of how much control these big corporations have over our political process,” Mr Suggs told the Washington Post.
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According to Ms Menziess, “The FDA’s preemption argument, if successful, would take away the sole means by which American consumers may obtain compensation for drug-induced injuries caused by a drug company’s failure to warn.”

An excellent write-up of all the crazy back-room legislative shenanigans being orchestrated by the Congressional Republicans (most notably, our good friend Dr. Bill Frist) in an attempt to grant big drug companies even more legal legroom when it comes to product liability. Guess who helped write the language he keeps trying to stick into every other bill? Yep, more good ‘ol lobbyists! Who are these people?

Well, here’s a little glimpse into what twisted logic they seem to be trying to pass off as “rationale”:

“The FDA’s purported position on preemption assumes that the FDA is infallible and that negligent misconduct by pharmaceutical companies should be the sole purview of FDA. Recent regulatory failures demonstrate that FDA is neither infallible nor does it have the capability of policing drug manufacturers negligent misconduct.”

Wait, don’t republicans like small government? Or are courts getting too bloated alluvasudden? But the fact that all these bills are being written in shifty late-night makeout parties with industry insiders sends all their excuses to hell…

(Via Media Monitors Network.)