Regulating Consumers, Aiding Industry

Laurie Gindin Beacham and Amy Widman
March 08, 2006

Laurie Beacham and Amy Widman serve as communications director and attorney/policy analyst, respectively, for the Center for Justice & Democracy .

A man commits suicide while taking Zoloft. There are indications that Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer, might have known of a link between the drug and suicidal tendencies. A lawsuit ensues. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intervenes in the suit on behalf of—Pfizer?

Why is a federal agency defending drug companies against injured consumers—the very people they are supposed to protect? Unfortunately, this is not surprising given the current administration’s bias toward industry over public safety.

Most Americans think of federal regulatory agencies like the FDA as watchdogs over public safety, believing they set safety standards for corporations. And that used to be the case. But the current administration is deliberately giving federal administrative agencies increasing power to promote decreasing regulation.