quote:
What we need is a new organization much closer to the FDA. We need an organization that will be ruthless about acquiring verifiable results, that will fund identical research projects to more than one group, and that will make everybody in this field get honest fast.
This was a very interesting article to read, and until he wrote the above quoted material in his second last paragraph, I had a strong urge to agree with the man, (and on many points still can agree with him).
However, that he would give the FDA any credit for doing anything but lining the pockets of the pharma-mafia, especially in any relation to properly assessing the risk factors of the drugs they have promoted, and not putting a strangle-hold on less costly generic drugs (because that might hit at the wallets of the larger pharma-mafia members), is totally right off the wall, IMHO. 
Certainly there is a need for the type of honesty he has suggested a new "leader" organization should promote. The problem is, it would have to be one that encompassed ALL the world's nations, and not just the United States, or even North America. I don't believe for a minute, though, that there is the political will, let alone anyone out there that fits the bill, to do it. While Nixon (a conservative) did found the EPA, he did so at a time when the hippies of the late sixties and early seventies were becoming a driving force politically as they "grew up" and became interested in voting in elections. I don't see that kind of political will in the current administration, because it would be totally anti-productive to the current fascination of cornering as much of the world oil-market as possible.
The general lack of will demonstrated by the auto industry, as an example, until only very recently to find a different way to power vehicles (even going to the point of buying out, threatening, and ruining individuals who dared to suggest there were other ways), is a strong case in point of where an organization "like the FDA" might actually be charged with this responsibility, and only run it to the exclusiveness of their own ends.
Is there a solution? There probably is, but I don't think it's going to be man-made. Nor will it come from God or the gods/goddesses we worship. Time and again, Mother Nature has cleaned house when the "children" messed it up, and she'll do it again, in time. That doesn't mean that we just go ahead and keep on messing it up, though, in the meantime. After all, we do live here! 
Namaste!
Unis 
[This message has been edited by Unis (edited May 07, 2006).]
[This message has been edited by Unis (edited May 07, 2006).]
