Breaking News: Romney’s lax regulation of Mass. company may have fueled meningitis outbreak

[fried eggs]

http://www.salon.com/2012/10/30/romneys_lax_regulation_fueled_meningitis_outbreak/

The fatal meningitis epidemic sweeping the United States can now be traced to the failure of then-Gov. Mitt Romney to adequately regulate the Massachusetts pharmaceutical company that is being blamed for the deaths.

At least 344 people in 18 states have been infected by the growing public health crisis and 25 have died so far.

But the epidemic may also play a role in the presidential campaign, now that state records reveal that a Massachusetts regulatory agency found that the New England Compounding Co., the pharmaceutical company tied to the epidemic, repeatedly failed to meet accepted standards in 2004 — but a reprimand was withdrawn by the Romney administration in apparent deference to the company’s business interests.

“It goes all the way up to Mitt Romney,” said Alyson Oliver, a Michigan attorney representing victims of the outbreak. According to Oliver, on at least six occasions, NECC was cited by authorities for failure to meet regulatory standards and almost subjected to a three-year probation. “It goes directly to the heart of what Romney says about regulation, ‘Hands off. Let the companies do their thing.’”

The sad part is none of this will be covered on TV before next Tuesday.

[Blue Owl]

1. Mitt the Privatizing Mormon from Massachusetts

It would be downright immoral to regulate a company. A sin, even.

[Hydra]

2. I never understand people who say we need less regulation

The Gulf of Mexico, Fukushima and everywhere else gov't turns a blind eye speak for themselves.

If we want a safe world, we need Gov'ts who are willing to say "No!" and have a line of soldiers behind them.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Do people not understand how the free market and unregulated

business are supposed to work? When your customers die, they become dissatisfied with your product and are free to reward the competition with their business.