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Health in America - Monsanto
Health in America - A look at corporate influence in governance and the marketplace (where America shops for food and supplies). We examine the question: Are we the 'United States of America' or the 'United Corporations of America'.
The Mission Statement of the Food & Drug Administration
Fox News Kills Monsanto Story
Investigative reporters, Jane Akre and Steve Wilson tell their story about how they tried to bring the result of their news investigation to the public.
According to Wikileaks Jane Akre and Steve Wilson are former employees of FOX owned-and-operated station WTVT in Tampa, Florida. In 1997, they were fired from Fox News after refusing to include knowingly false information in their report concerning the Monsanto Corporation's production of RBGH, a drug (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) designed to make cows produce more milk than naturally occurs.
According to Steve Wilson describing the meetings between himself and 'Dave' (apparently referring to Dave Boylan the general manager at the station) regarding if he would kill the story. According to the report 'Dave' stated:
"Look, would you tell anybody?"
Regarding how 'Dave' wanted the story written:
"Just write it the way the laywers want it written"
According to the report, 'Dave' "didn't' pause a beat", saying:
"We just paid 3 billion ($3,000,000,000) dollars for these television stations. We'll tell you what the news is. The news is what we say it is."
Jane Akre reported 'Dave' was going to offer them the rest of their years salary...
"...if we agreed not to talk about what Monsanto had done. To not talk about the Fox corporate response in suppressing the story. And to not talk about the story. Not talk about BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) again, anywhere. Not take the story to another news organization, zip up".
Jane sued Fox under Florida's whistelblower statute which protects those who try to prevent others from breaking the law.
"But her appeal court judges found that falsifying news isn't actually against the law".
Questions for American Citizens:
- Is our government protecting Americans, or American Corporations?
- Is the governments priority to protect the health of American citizens, or is it to protect the profits of the corporations at the expense of human health?
- If the FDA is not "protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply", then who's job is it?
FDA's Mission Statement
The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.
refs.
US Healthcare system
One definition of a system is a juxtaposition of components that work in concert to achieve a desired outcome. In the US our mechanism of health care delivery is a group of unrelated components, each of which works towards improving only its own position. For every dollar spent on health care another 33 cents is spent moving the dollar among the components. Another 33 cents is required to cover cost shifting. These are only two expenses that should not be part of the system. The FDA is a needed component - as described in its mission statement.
The FDA is viewed as flawed because it has been required to do much more than what its role should be. The FDA cannot change prescribing habits of physicians, nor can it reduce unrealistic expectations of patients.
The Centrist attention needs to focus on the open assessment of each topic based on its own merits. There should be no predetermined positions based on dogma (e.g. there should be no dogma).
Answers to our healthcare questions are available, and the Centrist party needs to put forth these solutions to the public in a clear and understandable manner. Local candidates need to be found and voices developed quickly so that 2010 and 2012 will not again be lost to extreme positions.