With all of the hysteria over Trumpf, Bernie, and Hillary this past week, many people “forgot” the Senate was doing business as usual, with Bernie providing one of the few voices of protest.
It is hard to believe only four senators opposed the confirmation of Robert Califf, who was approved today as the next FDA commissioner. Vocal opponent Bernie Sanders condemned the vote from the campaign trail. But where was Dick Durbin? Where were all the lawmakers who say they care about industry and Wall Street profiteers making money at the expense of public health?
Dick Durbin— Hillary’s BFF? Good question. Of course there’s no major conflict of interest here:
Califf, chancellor of clinical and translational research at Duke University until recently, received money from 23 drug companies including the giants like Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Merck, Schering Plough and GSK according to a disclosure statement on the website of Duke Clinical Research Institute.
And finally:
He is known for defending Vioxx which is reported to have caused at least 50,000 heart attacks and events before its withdrawal. (Merck is said to have known about Vioxx’ cardio effects but marketed the blockbuster drug anyway.)
FAIL. Would a GOP President appoint someone worse than this guy? Who would that be, I wonder?
www.salon.com/...