<![CDATA[The New York Times > Washington > 10 Voters on Panel Backing Pain Pills Had Industry Ties:
Ten of the 32 government drug advisers who last week endorsed continued marketing of the huge-selling pain pills Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx have consulted in recent years for the drugs’ makers, according to disclosures in medical journals and other public records.
If the 10 advisers had not cast their votes, the committee would have voted 12 to 8 that Bextra should be withdrawn and 14 to 8 that Vioxx should not return to the market. The 10 advisers with company ties voted 9 to 1 to keep Bextra on the market and 9 to 1 for Vioxx’s return.
This is what the Bush era is about, criminal abuse of access to power. As I was saying over here, when The People become The Customers, they are no longer a society in agreement about those basic standards and can be fragmented. Maybe that’s what you want, but don’t kid yourself that this is democracy. It’s a marketplace, where there are always losers and winners.]]>