Shielding Big Pharma

"It's an image that haunts pharmaceutical CEOs’ private moments—Big Tobacco CEOs swearing to tell the truth on live television. And later, tobacco companies were ordered to pay billions of dollars in damages to their product's victims."

"Pharmaceutical CEOs can't wipe those images away, because they know that they also knew. They too knowingly and purposely obfuscated, obscured, fudged the facts and, when push came to shove, lied about the known dangers of some of their most profitable products. Now they are terrified that their crimes of commission and omission could reap them the same whirlwind harvest of accountability."

"That's really all you need to know to understand what George W. Bush’s FDA was up to last week. Ostensibly, last week's news conference was to unveil new rules—long demanded by consumer advocates and fiercely fought by drug companies—requiring clearer labeling of prescription drugs, particularly about possible harmful side effects."

At first glance this appears to be a victory for consumers. It's an example of what we can accomplish, and also an example of how big business must constantly be forced to be fair and honest.

However, as you know, neither corporations nor governments, can be trusted. That was the good news, now for the bad.

"The second rule change announced that day would bar state courts from hearing individual or class-action liability suits against drug companies. The reasoning behind this change was that, because a federal agency—the FDA— approves drugs before they can be marketed to the public, only federal courts should hear cases where someone claims they were injured by those drugs. It's called “federal preemption,” and, if upheld, it will require anyone wanting to sue a drug do so in federal court."

What that means is that the government will cover it's own, and drug companies' asses, while screwing you in yours. You'll say the drug company did you wrong, and the feds will say that since they complied with federal regulations, and met with our approval, your case is without merit, so bend over.

Read the rest of the article to see that our representative form of government no longer works for us (did it ever?), but soley for big business. If there was ever an example of why we need campaign reform, this is it. As long as our government is for hire, we'll be screwed every time.