7 Comments

Such an interesting interview! I work for the licensing body of a profession and can attest that there is a great deal of misunderstanding, both in the profession and the public, about what a conflict of interest actually is.

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Regarding the FDA not being able to find experts without ties to industry, isn't that common? It even has a name: regulatory capture. It's one reason libertarians don't think government regulation leads to better outcomes and the government should not get involved with regulating drugs (or much of anything else) since it opens the door to allowing special interests to control the given activity/sector. Private organizations, like a Consumer Reports for pharmaceuticals, would do a better job. But the FDA has no competition. Its proscription of private-sector tests for Covid is a recent example of how the FDA's monopoly power can have terrible results, it seems to me, though I'm no expert.

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Libertarian "logic" is so hilariously upside down. When corporations capture government and try to hold it hostage to the corporate interests, normal people say the solution is to free the hostage and have better safeguards and transparency. But the solution offered by libertarians (fronting for the corporate interests) is to kill the hostage, which would benefit only the corporations. How convenient. Now we know why "libertarian think tanks" are all created and funded by the same corporate interests who would prefer to eliminate government. LOL

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Or maybe it's not in your wheel house if you're only interested in corporate disinformation, although the censorship C-36 is proposing will be carried out by tech corporations.

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Paul, I suggest that Canada's Bill C-36, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act and to make related amendments to another Act (hate propaganda, hate crimes and hate speech) is right in your wheel house. It's the most chilling current example I am aware of of a democracy attempting to control the expression of its citizens. It's originator, Canada's Minister of Heritage, indicates that Canada has "launched an international coalition of like-minded countries and have decided to start working together on these issues," and that "Germany, France, Australia, Finland and we are having conversations with a number of other countries who were very interested." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JuTW5zPV-4&t=295s

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What a pity. I read "denying climate change". Then I puked. Stop playing the popularity contest Pleeeze.

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Wasn't expecting any Steven J. Milloy fans to show up, but all kinds are welcome!

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