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Evil In Contamination of Food and Medicine.

By Greg Piche'

It is hard not to applaud the Chinese for their decision to execute officials for the contamination of milk sold domestically and abroad, even for those generally opposed to the death penalty. Unfortunately, the Chinese may have been motivated more by the impact of the unfavorable publicity than real concern about the larger moral evil lurking like a cancer in the cells of commerce. Two articles appearing in the New York Times today underscore the metastasis of that evil in the world community. One story involves Nigeria and the other the United States.

The first story ?84 Children Are Killed by Medicine in Nigeria? by Lydia Polgreen recounts the story of teething medicine contaminated by the substitution of diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent and ingredient in brake fluid and antifreeze for the more expensive glycerin.  According to Ms. Polgreen,

?The chemical causes kidney and liver damage as well as attacking the central nervous system, causing paralysis that hampers breathing. Children in Nigeria began to get sick in November with un-explained fevers and vomiting. Some stopped urinating and many had diarrhea. Across the country children with similar symptoms turned up at hospitals amid rising anger and panic.´?

But that of course is Nigeria and haven?t many of us received email invitations from lawless Nigerian officials with access to large amounts of cash seeking U.S. assistance to help access it, but with an object of conning the unsuspecting. Isn?t that the Dark Continent where all sorts of genocide and unsavory things go on?

It?s shocking to realize that we in this country are not immune to that kind of evil. The other article, ?Sales Drop 25% As Parents Shun Peanut Butter? by Andre Martin and Liz Robbins recounts the reaction of the peanut industry to a salmonella outbreak and food recall by a Georgia peanut plant, operated by the Peanut Corporation of America. Peanut Butter for Gods sake!

There is no little irony in this story. The same old fox in the hen house.

?The company?s chief executive, Stewart Parnell, was removed from the Agricultural Department?s Peanut Standards Board, which advises the agriculture secretary on quality and handling standards.?

This does not appear to be just another case of negligent behavior.

?The peanut company is under criminal investigation for its role, and has been accused by federal regulators of knowingly shipping products that had tested positive for salmonella.?

This outbreak has apparently led to 578 illnesses and 8 deaths. If true, should we treat these perpetrators as anything different from mass murderers?  The calculated commercial venality behind this abhorrent behavior seems at least as reprehensible as those horrific crimes committed by frequently defective and abused human detritus inhabiting the dark margins of our communities.

Full post as published by Healthcare Law Blog on February 07, 2009 (boomark / email).