Similar Posts
How much did Swine Flu Cost?/ Business Week
The US and UK won’t tell what they spent. But the US bought vaccine from 5 different manufacturers (Glaxo, Novartis, CSL, Astra-Zeneca (MedImmune was acquired by A-Z in 2007 after passing through multiple owners) and Sanofi-Pasteur, and bought antiviral drugs from 3 (Tamiflu (Roche), Relenza (GSK also) and Peramivir (BioCryst)). They will have to report…
Obama’s Stake in the Heart to the Inspector General system at 70 federal agencies: “No records for you!”
Just in case you still think the US government has a functioning system of checks and balances, the following article in yesterday’s NY Times’ by Eric Lichtblau should disabuse you of such a quaint notion. As the article explains, the Inspector General (IG) watchdog system was instituted in the wake of Watergate to provide independent…
Case closed?
On the one hand, the Justice Department is considering closing the anthrax letters case this week. On the other hand, the FBI seized computers (and this time with no court order) from the Frederick Public Library this week. Looks like they were in a hurry. Last two times they examined computers they had a court…
Biothrax for Kids is Back! Now for an Ethics Review! / DHHS
The DHHS’ momentum to test anthrax vaccine in kids did not abate after the NBSB advisory committee suggested the pediatric trial should go forward, following review by an ethics panel. That way the NBSB members would not be the last ones holding the bag. On January 10, DHHS Secretary Sibelius (ex-Governor, insurance commissioner and lobbyist)…
Lantana anthrax widow settles $50 million lawsuit against federal government
From the Palm Beach Post: … While he is legally prohibited from revealing much of what he learned and many of the court documents are sealed, Weisser said he was stunned by the lack of security at the lab. In court papers, the government conceded that before the attacks, Fort Detrick didn’t have cameras to…
Fined $3 Billion for Illegal Sales and Marketing of Drugs…but it’s just the cost of doing business / NY Times
From the NY Times: In the largest settlement involving a pharmaceutical company, the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $3 billion in fines for promoting its best-selling antidepressants for unapproved uses and failing to report safety data about a top diabetes drug, federal prosecutors announced Monday. The agreement also…