The FDA tests these drugs.  They make sure they do what the drug companies say they do.  They make sure they're safe for use under a doctor's supervision and that all of the correct interaction and warning labels are properly applied and ready for marketing.

Once the FDA approves a drug, its back on the drug companies to sell them and to comply with the standards the FDA has set for the sale and marketing.

In Michigan, if someone takes a prescription drug and bad things happen... they have a complication, they get slammed by a particular side-effect they didn't see coming or they just plain didn't follow directions correctly there's a mechanism in place whereby those patients can sue.

If you believe the warning labels misrepresented the risk, or you think the drug company foisted something on you fraudulently you go to the FDA, you tell them what happened (they take these sorts of things seriously) and if the FDA figures out the company really did misrepresent their drugs or didn't tell the whole story about them then you get to sue!

So what's the Democrats' legislation all about?  They want you to be able to sue for millions because you catch a sniffle.  They're encouraging frivolous lawsuits and looking out for their trial lawyer buddies.

You know how governor Granholm's always talking about life sciences and incubators and new economies?  So much for that.

Not too long ago MichBio reported that more than 540 life science companies were up and running in Michigan with over 30,000 employees.  Guess what they do!  They create drugs.  They research drugs.  They test drugs.  They improve lives.  They save lives!  

Now take those companies, already limping through the Granholm-Cherry depression and take the leash off the trial lawyers.  Sure, some of the companies will survive.  Lots of them won't.

Not surprisingly, Michigan Lawyers Weekly is up with an internet poll on their website, asking their ambulance chasing readers whether or not they'd like to see Michigan's pro-growth, pro-job, common sense laws overturned.  

Currently 87% of the 1-800-CALL-SAM's of the state say YES, to heck with jobs, cry havoc and let loose the dogs of frivolous litigation.

An interesting number.  I just took a poll of folks aligned with my way of thinking and asked whether or not I have a future as a rap artist.  100%.  It's a go.  Except that's freaking INSANE.

Check out the trial lawyers' poll HERE and see if you can't put a dent into that number.  I figure anything south of 85% would shake the very foundations of Michigan's legal universe.