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Dr. Mercola
July 17 2007
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FDA Tyranny Becomes Law

On July 11, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill HR 2900, which grants additional power to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while at the same time ensuring deeper financial ties between the agency and pharmaceutical companies.

The law does make some efforts to reduce conflict of interest, including mandating the publishing of a clinical trials database and forbidding more than one FDA official with ties to the industry to sit on a drug decision panel.

However, at the same time, the FDA will actually be allowed to work with drug and biotech companies to develop and launch new drugs. In an unprecedented conflict of interest, the new law places the FDA “in charge of drug design, drug patents, drug licenses, and the creation of new marketing entities/companies.”

The law also allows the FDA to evaluate dietary supplements as they do prescription drugs, which means they can remove supplements from the market as they see fit.

NewsWithViews July 12, 2007

NewsTarget July 12, 2007



Dr. Mercola Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The recent US legislation, HR 2900, takes conflict of interest to a new extreme. While there are some face-saving moves to make the bill palatable, such as making sure that an unlimited number of industry shills can no long sit on drug decision panels, HR 2900 for the most part ties the FDA even more tightly to business interests. What’s more, in a blatant move to benefit the drug companies, it also ensures that dietary supplements can be removed from stores at will.

This comes not long after the U.S. Senate passed bill S1082 -- The FDA Revitalization Act, which also threatens dietary supplements and health freedom. Unfortunately, U.S. Rep. and presidential candidate, Ron Paul’s attempts to create legislation that would limit the FDA’s authority over supplements have been blocked.

Now, more than ever, it is up to you to look out for your own health. The FDA will not protect your health, nor will any other government agency.

The FDA views the drug industry as its client. Within the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, about 80 percent of the resources are geared toward the approval of drugs and 20 percent is for everything else. Drug safety is a measly 5 percent. This speaks loads about their priorities. It is NOT about protecting you -- it is about approving drugs as quickly as possible so the drug companies can reap their profits.

Congress not only created that structure, but they horribly worsened it 15 years ago with the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) by which drug companies actually pay money to the FDA so they will review and approve their drug. This creates an absolutely massive conflict of interest and fox-guarding-the-henhouse phenomenon. And the new laws that have just been passed do not change that relationship even a tiny bit.

The government is interested in promoting drug company profits, not promoting your health. But you can protect your health on your own by adhering to the traditional and simple health principles that will keep you well.
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Community Comments ( 32 )
 		Comment on this Article
  
  
jennifer howard
 [ Joined on 01/07 ] [ Posted on July 16, 2007 ]
14 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User
Does the government plan to destroy itself by killing all of its constituents? Who then will it govern? We are in a sad state of affairs as a country when no one in power seems to have a conscience. Officials would outlaw the "uncontrolled" use of supplements but would virtually shove the pharmaceuticals down the American's throat. We need to see more Americans educated about health and informed about politics so that a true democracy can be enjoyed in this country.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Pwyll
 [ Joined on 02/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
7 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Perhpas this idea of voting is a placebo to let us think we are accomplishing something--while year after dreary year--the same things happen--the decline is more intense and the country is losing ground fast. Voting someone out keeps us hopeful that the NEXT one will do better. How does that bumper sticker go--What if they gave a war and nobody came? Maybe it should be changed to elections.
Mercola
  
Patty D
 [ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
9 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Islander, the universal "we" isn't appropriate here.  Some of us have worked hard to vote for those who maybe, just maybe really care about us.  The problem is, most of those honest hardworking people running for office do not have the vast quantities of money necessary to get their message out.  It's a sad but true fact that money buys votes.  It's another problem this country has.  We are slowly sliding toward a society of "have's" and "have nots" with no middle class.
Mercola
  
Jeremy
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on July 19, 2007]
7 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
I would like to see the true America as the Republic it was set up to be.. Democracy is hardly true freedom.. majority rules and 49 percent lose their freedom on any certain issue..

Bill, I did plus you!... Since the Constitution was written is has been broken, 1913 Fed Reserve, IRS, Prohibition of Cannabis(marijuana), Property taxes, slavery, and all kinds of oppression. The government is not our friend anymore!
Mercola
  
saynotoquacks
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on August 1, 2007]
1 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

I for one never voted for the sociopaths that started this immoral Iraq war, the antichrists that are pulling our country, our world, out from under our feet.  They fixed both elections, but they couldn't have done this if more people had voted against them.  They are destroying what little democracy we had.  We need to take back our country.  Wish I knew how.

Mercola
  
GRAYWOLF
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on August 3, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola

"I for one never voted for the sociopaths that started this immoral Iraq war"

All 400+ or so of them! I didn't vote for any of them either. I try to avoid voting either letter of this one-party system. Ron Paul is the only politician from either party that will get me to the polls for the primaries and would have me voting for either an R or D come election time.

"They are destroying what little democracy we had."

Actually, they are destroying the republic we had for an illusion of a democracy. Democracies don't work, it has been proven repeatedly throughout history.

In response to Ben Franklin, I think it is plain to see, we can't keep it!

I have to say, I agree with everything else posted here.

  
  
moo
 [ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on July 17, 2007 ]
10 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
well.............look who is in control of congress. and what did we expect? that they would let us have any say. after all big government knows best!
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
cheftodd
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
ya,no doubt
  
  
Islander
 [ Joined on 03/07 ] [ Posted on July 16, 2007 ]
9 Points        
   
 
Moderator User
I expect there will be great wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth over this news, and rightly so, since 99% of the Senate and all but 16 members of the House sold us out for Pharma money. (Go to http://www.congress.org to see how your representatives voted on HR 2900).

But there are tens of thousands - possibly hundreds of thousands - of U.S. subscribers to this site. I have to ask, what have you done since last April to stop this legislation? How many times did you contact your senators over S. 1082? Or write or phone your representatives about HR 1561? Did you ask them to acccept Ron Paul's bill, HR 676, Health Care for All? If you answered No to the above, you have no right to complain.

If I sound a little testy, it's because I'm pretty discouraged. I have been doing all of the above, fighting for months to protect health freedom. But I feel like a lone voice. There is power in numbers. We proved that when we forced Congress to pass DSHEA in 1994. We could have done it again if all our voices had been raised. Where were you?

Remember: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
mmc88121
 [ Joined on 11/06 ]  [ Posted on July 16, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Moderator User
  Mercola
Islander, I did write my representatives, and I am proud to say that my representative in congress was one of the 16 who voted against HR 2900.  So yes you can make a difference.

Mary
Mercola
  
cheftodd
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Islander, you are not alone. there are a lot of us that have sent letters, e-mails ect. but I think that  money speaks very loud, louder than what we can yell.
Mercola
  
PepperR23
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
There is something strange going on.  I tried to give positive points to Islander and it did not work.  This happened earlier today also.  It is my firm belief that someone is sabatoging this site.  I too have written e-mails and letters and I believe a great many of us have done the same.  We are all discouraged and I have to wonder why so much effort from so many people has seemed to not make any difference in the outcome.
Mercola
  
Pwyll
 [ Joined on 02/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
1 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Islander--yes--I have contacted them as well--. Apathy is huge in this county--and it is the money paid to the reps by pharma and all the rest that makes them vote that way--it has virtually nothing to do with what is right, moral or in line with their constituency. I blame the people for not standing up--for giving away their political power just as they have their health care--power. Americans have become lazy, dumbed-down and largely influenced by an outdoor grill, a beer and a football game to watch. Give 'em that and they are in hog heaven.
Mercola
  
GRAYWOLF
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on August 3, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola

I write my purchased politicians all the time. Usually I get a form letter response that has little to nothing to do with what I wrote them about. Recently they have been staying on topic but giving answers equivalent to "it is the law, therefore it is right"

A great site for receiving updates on such issues is http://www.downsizedc.org

They don't cover all the issues, but they do cover a lot of them with email updates (if you choose) and they have a simple to use "contact" system to write your own purchased politician.

PepperR23,

If you are using FireFox, that is your problem. Whoever Mercola has programming his site, doesn't appear capable of programming correctly for browsers better than IE.

  
  
Russ Bianchi
 [ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on July 16, 2007 ]
5 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
This will be litigated in the courts, make book on that.  It will be appealed all the way to the Roberts' Supreme Court,also a sure bet.

Big Pharma will lose in the US Supreme Court...that is assured, based on the FACTS and precedent law.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
cheftodd
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
15 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
I pray that this is over turned. and I will keep on fighting.     It also looks as if some one is giving out a lot of negetives. someone or something is not happy with is being said.
Mercola
  
PillowsForSoldiers.com
 [ Joined on 10/06 ]  [ Posted on July 31, 2007]