Keep taking the tablets ?

It's not just the so called War on Terror that continues causing so many needless deaths. Iraq and Afghanistan aren't the only places where untold numbers of us - the mere munchkins - are quite literally, dying to make fat cats even fatter.

Untold numbers of us and our nearest & dearest are endangered on a daily basis, in the supposed safety of our own homes. If you can bring yourself to stomach some more shock and awe, read this. It's enough to make anyone feel sick.

Vital data on prescription medicines found in millions of British homes has been suppressed by the powerful US drug regulators, even though the information could potentially save lives.

So say Roger Dobson and Jeanne Lenzer, in today's UK Independent newspaper. Then they go on to say much more.

... under pressure from the pharmaceutical industry, the American Food and Drug Administration routinely conceals information it considers commercially sensitive

(snip)

Dr Peter Juni, one of the team of Swiss investigators who helped to expose the risk of the new-generation drugs, claims his efforts were obstructed by the FDA.

(snip)

Hundreds of years ago in England, an infamous highwayman called Dick Turpin regularly held up stagecoaches. Shoving his lethal loaded musket into poor unsuspecting passenger's faces, he invariable said the same thing: "Stand and deliver! Your money or your life?" What a make-your-mind-up ultimatum. Eh? Talk about Hobson's choice.

It seems things are now going backwards instead of forwards. Forget about people's personal safety. Who the hell wants to know about their well being? Certainly, not today's corporate drug lords.

Relieving folk of as much of their money as possible still matters most, just as it did in the bad old days. Though there is a variation on the theme. Instead of old English highwaymen or wild west outlaws asking you to choose between your money or your life, it's now the pharma-bandits who appear equally prepared to do likewise.

Some extremely serious side effects of many common drugs still being sold, seem to be more life threatening than the maladies they are meant to treat. Yet, we still get the Hobson's choice of times gone by.

I mean, what about our continued well being? Forget it. Either, meekly accept their no-choice option - or forget it. Big fat-pharma-profits rule the roost. Sick people play second fiddle.

Read the full Independent article and be shocked by the list of familiar medications mentioned -- and be in awe of some of the awful possibilities.

But first, here's a health warning. Even if you feel fine right now - after hitting the link below your blood pressure could go straight through the roof.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=646243