Sunday, December 22, 2002

Are the drug companies running our country?

First, Rep. Scum Dick Armey sneaks a provision into the Homeland Security Act preventing pharmaceutical companies from being sued due to harmful effects from vaccines, which are suspected of causing disorders such as autism. And he's proud of the fact that he protected companies suspected of maiming children. He claims the White House made him do it.

Now our government is also killing babies and the poor in the rest of the world in the name of protecting pharmaceutical patents. This is unspeakably obscene.

US blocks cheap drugs agreement, BBC News:

"The United States has blocked an international agreement to allow poor countries to buy cheap drugs.

"This means millions of poor people will still not have access to medicines for diseases such as HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis. US negotiators say the deal would allow too many drugs patents to be ignored." [Emphasis added]

"The United States said the proposed deal would mean that illnesses that are not infectious, such as diabetes and asthma, could also be treated with cheap, generic drugs.

"The US negotiator, Linnet Deily, said her country 'could not meet the consensus on the issue.'"

Deily is a deputy trade representative, from Texas, appointed by the Compassionate Conservative pretender.

Deily said Washington could not support the proposals before World Trade Organization members, saying they would undermine the pharmaceutical industry's attempts to battle disease. "By threatening patents for all pharmaceuticals, for almost all countries, (they) destroy the incentive for the research and development that create new drugs, that save lives and help people cope with critical ailments around the world," Deily said. Which means that, according to the Republicans, drug companies won't develop drugs unless they're so profitable they make zillionaires out of a few executives and stockholders, rather than getting just a decent return on investment.

It's so depressing. Especially at this time of year. When you eat your Christmas dinner, think of all those babies dying of diseases we can prevent, cure, or at least ameliorate -- this allegedly Christian nation of ours.
posted by lee on 12/22/02 at 06:31 PM

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