Posted on 06/08/2005 3:02:46 PM PDT by Zero Sum
Last week, I wrote about a federal agency that most people think is indispensable. In reality, I said, the FDA regulates us to death, literally, by forbidding even dying Americans who can't be helped by established medical treatments from trying innovative therapies.
But what's the alternative? Have no oversight? Let any company peddle every dubious medicine to an unsuspecting public? That sounds terrifying. Snake-oil sellers would sell all kinds of harmful stuff. That's why we created the FDA in the first place.
But wait a second. Snake oil sellers sell it anyway. I've done consumer reports on snake-oil sellers for years. Crooks and deluded optimists sell useless baldness remedies, breast enlargers and diet products while the FDA is supposedly in charge. The FDA rarely stopped even the obvious crooks. What it mostly stopped, or delayed, were the serious drug companies' attempts at genuine innovations.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
In spite of the whiny voice (which I hear even when reading his columns) I really respect what Stossel does. My favorite of his specials was when he compared Indian reservations under government control (where people lived in desperate conditions) to a town where they had taken control of their own destiny, shrugged off the Bureau of Indian Affairs and were thriving.
Stossel is a powerful advocate for limiting the size and scope of government.
From last week's column:
Some years ago, the FDA held a news conference and proudly announced, "This new heart drug we're approving will save 14,000 American lives a year!" No one stood up at the press conference to ask, "Doesn't this mean you killed 14,000 people last year -- and the year before -- by keeping it off the market?" Reporters don't think that way, but the FDA's announcement did mean that. Thousands will die this year while other therapies wait for approval.
The market along with strong property rights laws can enforce quality much better than any govt agency. But, Bush will never go with that. He is too much a big govt lover.
Lousy libertarian book-reader!
The government knows what's best, and don't you forget it, Mr. Smarty-pants Stossel!
It's not up to Bush as much as it's up to Congress. Otherwise you are exactly right. They will never go there. It's not just that they love big government. The whole pack of them, Republicans and Democrats, are so damn paternalistic you just want to scream.
Makes one wonder about politicians who want to play mommy or daddy to the citizens while at the same time supporting abortion...
Now THAT spells trouble!
Bush can simply not appoint a head of FDA. They say that the President has to obey the non-discretionary budget. Not true. The President can simply veto it. He can say here is a list of agencies I don't like and got to go. Send me a budget without apportioning for them and I will sign it. Otherwise, I will send the budget back to you. With Republicans in charge we can get rid of at least a few of the unwanted agencies.
In our dreams. Congress would override the veto in a heartbeat, with all the drug company lobbyists cheering as the votes to override come in.
Like I said, whether Republican or Democrat, our elected officials think they and the rest of the Washington bureaucracy are in loco parentis for the rest of us.
Well, we at least will know who to blame in this case. Now both the President and the Congress are in on this scam.
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