Charlotte Observer's Tim Funk Reports on Delay of Burr's Biodefense Bill

The Charlotte Observer

Tim Funk of the Charlotte Observer reports in December 12th's Charlotte Observer on the delay of Senator Richard Burr's supposedly "fast-tracked" Biodefense Bill. (See link above.)

Apparently special interest groups and bloggers are being heard, as Mr. Funk's article notes.

Burr's bill which would give drug companies protection from liability lawsuits, has angered many, including the Federation of American Scientists, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the National Vaccine Information Center.

Burr has said that protection would help to encourage companies to develop new medicines.

However, here is the scary part: Burr, through the passing of this bill, would create the new Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, or BARDA. If passed by the Senate committee, the bill would exempt BARDA from the Freedom of Information Act, requiring federal agencies to disclose records requested in writing!

The Freedom of Information Act was recently utilized to uncover the questionable Simpsonwood meeting notes, which contain comments by government officials regarding the initial studies on thimerosal showing a potential for a link between thimerosal and develomental disabilities such as autism.

As Funk reports, no other federal agency has ever received such a blanket exclusion in the 40-year history of the law.

I'm surprised that all parents are not sounding an alarm over this bill. My greatest concern is that it will render the vaccine makers accountable to no one, and we will not even have the power to look into potential abuses!

Who is looking after our kids? Is the government? I'm waiting to see....

(If you want to sound off, see this link and scroll down for the contact info of your senators: http://www.walkingwithalec.com/2005/10/bill-will-protect-vaccine-makers-from.html)