Bush ties to the MERCK Scandal (VIOXX anyone?)

[JCMach1]

THE SMELL OF VIOXX IN THE MORNING...



In the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 (to date) election cycles, Merck's Political Action Committee donated, respectively, $319,578 and (again, to date) $259, 653 to federal political candidates.

In 1999-2000, 72 percent of the total went to Republican candidates and PACs in 2001-2002, so far, 64 percent of the total has gone to Republican candidates and PACs.

Merck's CEO, Raymond Gilmartin, is also a big individual G.O.P. donor.

Since 1999, Gilmartin has contributed $74,000 of his own money to federal political campaigns.

More than half of that amount -- $40,000 -- has gone directly to the Republican National Committee.

Another $20,000 of it has gone to individual Republican candidates and their PACs. SOURCE

While expiring patents on popular drugs like Prilosec and Vasotec pose a threat to future earnings at pharmaceutical giant Merck (nyse: MRK), the Bush plan to include prescription drug coverage under Medicare could help make up for the losses. Merck's pharmacy services division, Merck-Medco (1999 revenue: $18 billion), could also benefit under the Bush regime...

http://www.thesyndrome.com/archives/00001123.htm

[gWbush is Mabus]

1. another Bush plan was...

people can't sue pharma companies for drugs that hurt patients
IF
the FDA approves the drug.