A Gift for Drug Makers - Bob Herbert, NYT

[housewolf]

A Gift for Drug Makers
By BOB HERBERT
Published: January 14, 2005

Vioxx, Celebrex, Prozac. ...

With all the problems and the bad publicity that drug companies have been facing recently, you might think that this would not be a good time for the Bush administration to toss yet another bonanza their way.

But the administration is like an ardent lover in its zeal to shower the rich and powerful with every imaginable benefit. So tucked like a gleaming diamond in proposed legislation to curb malpractice lawsuits is a provision that would give an unconscionable degree of protection to firms responsible for drugs or medical devices that turn out to be harmful.

The provision would go beyond caps on certain damages. It would actually prohibit punitive damages in cases in which the drug or medical device had received Food and Drug Administration approval.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/14/opinion/14herbert.html?oref=login

[MsConduct]

1. It just never ends, does it? I guess they should change the line

from 'we the people' to screw the people.