FDA stamp is no safety guarantee

DAVID FERRERA purports to dispel myths surrounding Wyeth v. Levine ("Juries vs. FDA on drug safety," Op-ed, Oct. 31). What he really does is perpetuate them.

Our ability to hold drug manufacturers accountable and demand the safest possible products is in jeopardy. There is no effective federal system in place to force companies to recall a product if dangers emerge after it goes to market. Without legal liability, there is little incentive for companies to remove a drug from the marketplace. If the Supreme Court finds in favor of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the civil justice system will no longer be able to serve as a critical layer of consumer protection.

While Ferrera would have us believe that the Food and Drug Administration is more than capable of ensuring the safety of products, history has proved otherwise. The agency's own staff told the Bush administration that FDA permission to market a product is never a guarantee of safety.

We've seen the effect of the administration's unwillingness to hold corporations accountable - extreme anything-goes policies on housing, gas prices, retirement funds, and the rest of the economy. If the Supreme Court upholds this policy, we will see the effects in injuries and illnesses for our families.

NAN ARON
President
Alliance for Justice
Washington