To: letters@nytimes.com
Re: Merck is not alone in prioritising company profit
Date: Tuesday 23 August 05

 


Dear Editor,

Your criticism of the drugs company, Merck, in today's editorial, "Punishment for Merck", saying that "the overriding message sent by this verdict is that companies must jump at the first hint of risk and warn patients and doctors of any dangers as clearly and quickly as possible", seems a little naive - to put it mildly - in view of how the tobacco industry responded to evidence for the harm their products do to human health, or the response of the oil, automobile and air travel industries to the harm they are doing to our planet (e.g. global warming, the plundering of natural resources etc.) and our children's future prospects.

We need to come out of denial and face up to the fact that there is a fundamental problem with some of the values, attitudes and aspirations which underlie our economy.

www.spaceship-earth.org.